What should have been
by TriggerhappySOB
Summary: Rewritten story-line of DBZ post-Cell. Focused mainly on Gohan, who I felt was not done any justice during the Saiyaman/Buu Saga. Goku is still dead, but not for the lame reason given in the Anime. Gohan is more scarred than he appears in the Anime, both mentally and physically. And Mr. Satan behaves a bit differently as well. Read to find out how! (Currently under revision!)
1. Survivors Guilt

**ATTENTION! Okay, so if you take the time to read these notes at the beginning and end then welcome! I'll start by just letting you know that if you have read this story already, you're not going crazy, it _is _being reworked and edited! If you're new here, then I hope that you will enjoy this as much as I have had writing it! I'll try and clean it up and make it less confusing for you, since it confuses me sometimes when I go back and read it. My notes before and after the chapters may get removed if they are unimportant. If they have something valuable in them, the old and new ones will be separated by a horizontal line. I originally published it in the middle of a deployment when my writing skills were definitely not as good as I would have hoped, and neither was my patience. So now I'm going to go ahead and publish the "Remastered" version of it for anyone who wishes to go through and read it! It'll be a bit more eloquently worded, hopefully less redundant, and portray the actual emotions and expressions I intended to be in the story (As opposed to the mood I was in at the time of writing said scene during deployment... Not proud of some of the things I wrote.) It'll be a tiny bit longer of a read, but I feel that it'll be more fulfilling and easy on the mind. If I make mistakes in grammar or spelling that you see in any of my chapters, feel free to let me know via PM so that I may go through and correct it! Thank you for visiting, I hope you enjoy it!**

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**Hey guys. This is my first ever fanfic, and its on something that I have always wanted to do since I first watched this part of the Buu Saga. There were a few things that I despised about it and I feel could have been done better:**

**1) Goku's reason for staying in the afterlife never made sense to me. I will maintain that he didn't get wished back from Otherworld by the time that Gohan turns 18, however i'm not going to make him stay there purely because he wanted to protect the earth. You'll see what happens.**

**2) Gohan's character development post-Cell was non-existent right up to the Buu saga, and who would actually believe that the Universes most powerful being would ACTUALLY turn out to be timid little nerdy Gohan? Not saying that he wont maintain the goody-two-shoes mentality, but he would have come out of the Cell games scarred mentally too. On top of that, he's _half saiyan_. Fighting and blood-lust are part of his genes, just like fighting over stupid shit is in Humans'.**

**3) The great Sayaman... I don't know why it was decided that Gohan's alter ego should be a dorky superhero wearing a cape and orange helmet (I literally cringed and tried to hide my face from the embarrassment during the episode he saves the airliner and does his little 'rap'... It was like watching Jackie Chun do his thing all over again, but less funny)... There will still be a Sayaman of sorts in this fanfic, but like Gohan, he's going to be a bit different. Just how different, you'll just have to wait and see.**

**DISCLAIMER: If you've seen this once, you've seen it a million times. As much as I wish I had a part in this fantastic series' creation, I do not. I own nothing except my imagination and my... Scratch that I dont even own my soul either... I own nothing!**

**Chapter 1: Survivor's guilt**

The world shook, and the heavens erupted in a blue light streaking from a tiny little mud ball called earth. Within this light was a creature, much like an overgrown grasshopper in human form. Cell was disintegrating, screaming his dying words at the young boy below him. Gohan was walking forward, a determined look on his face, his left arm hanging in front of him in tatters. His right arm was thrust forward towards the disappearing form of his nemesis. Lightning crackled around him as he made his way slowly to the edge of the crater created by him and cell. With one last "HAAAAA", Cell disappeared from existence, his Ki disappearing with the Kamehameha wave that consumed him.

It was finally over for Gohan. He stood there panting for a moment as the light died out in front of him, leaving a broken landscape before him. His eyes rolled up into his skull and reverted from teal to onyx, and his spiky golden locks seemed to deflate as they reverted back to their natural black. He collapsed onto his back, his destroyed arm lying at an odd angle with the bone poking out of the large hole in his shoulder. His purple Gi was shredded, barely concealing the well-developed form so unnatural for an 11 year old boy.

***ACROSS THE BATTLEFIELD***

"I can't believe what I'm seeing! That scrawny little runt used a trick to destroy Cell! That was MY kill! I could've taken him!"

Mr. Satan hid behind a rock as he observed the battle. The camera crew and his students had been blown away by the sheer force of the battle they had just witnessed. More to himself than anyone else, he was raging. The combination of his fear at what he had seen, and his downright refusal to believe that it had actually happened was causing him to have a mild panic attack. There was no way that this little blonde kid was able to do something he couldn't! It had to be a trick, just like all the other flashy lights and flying that they were doing. Humans couldn't do those sorts of things, they were biologically incapable! He may not have been a great scholar, nor even considered himself to be any sort of academic, but he knew what the human body was capable of. Still not convinced that he stood no chance in this sort of fight, he decided that he would confront the boy that was now lying on the ground and get to the bottom of it all. There had to be some explanation!

Before he even had the chance to move from behind the boulder, the large green man he had witnessed falling before the little blue cells flew to the side of the boy, closely followed by the rest of the group that he had deemed fakes. They surrounded the lone figure, and he was surprised to see they all looked to be in a state of panic. It was obvious there was something wrong with the child.

_Ohhhh okay, maybe it wasn't_ all _for show... Maybe I should__ confront him later about, I bet he needs some help! After all, light tricks or not, I saw what that monster did to his arm. Come to think of it, he_ is_ just a child, no older than my own daughter I bet! Whoa... If Videl had been here... I don't know what kind of parents would let him fight like that!_

Whether or not the boy was a fake, Mr. Satan decided he should try to help the little guy. After all, he is the world champion, and what better way to satisfy the public than to prove that he has a caring heart as well as a warrior's prowess? He emerged from behind his cover and began running towards the group. Behind him, he could hear the distant shouts of the others as they began looking for him. He hoped they would catch up to get him helping the boy on camera. The masses loved that sort of thing.

He hadn't even made it half way there before the group literally disappeared into the air. One by one, they shot into the sky, taking the boy with them. All except for two: The large green man who stood looking at the short guy wearing the strange blue and white armor. His hair had reverted back to black from the glowing gold that he was wearing minutes before. The champ had seen the hair switch back and forth multiple times on several of them, but couldn't make head or tails of it. It was something for him to think about later, for now he was focused on the shorter of the two men. To Hercule, he looked like a man who had lost the will to live; depression and despair flowed freely from his gaze as he spoke to the green man, though it seemed he was trying to look tough instead. As Hercule approached the two, the shorter man seemed to lose his self-control and disappeared in a flash. The only thing Hercule noticed was a light white trail that disappeared off over the horizon.

_Why are they still using those tricks? The show is over, what purpose could that sort of thing serve with nobody around to watch...? Must be because i'm still here, they don't want to disappoint._

The green man stood watching as the short man disappeared, then stooped to pick up the lavender haired man that Hercule had seen take one of those light beams to the chest, hefting him over his shoulder. Hercule stopped behind him and looked right at the back of his gi, _through_ the lavender hair guys' chest. Hercule didn't know what sort of light show they were trying to pull, but that wound looked real enough. More than that, the effect on the environment seemed just as real. The earth was trampled around them, and there was large pool of dark red sand where the boy and purple haired guy had been lying.

"What do you intend to do now Mr. Satan?"

Hercule started at the deep voice that emitted from the man in front of him. It was deep, gravely, and carried a power that sent chills down his spine. He hadn't turned around to look at him yet. Hercule couldn't help himself; he wanted to see the man who was speaking to him. He wanted to know what sort of trickster he was dealing with, and that meant seeing his face. He walked forward and stood next to the man, barely reaching his shoulders. The body over his shoulder continued to hang limp, as if he really was dead. His shock wore off as his anger resurfaced.

"You guys should have let me handle that bug! I could have taken him. Why the hell did you let a little boy fight that monster? This was supposed to be a real fight! What the hell were you thinking?! And what's with all the light shows and theatrics?!"

The man finally turned to look at Hercule, making him pale under his glare. He'd assumed it was just a human in makeup, but he was definitely not human. The green skin was not painted, nor was the pair of antennae that protruded from his forehead fake. His black eyes possessed an empty cold that would surely haunt Hercule 'til the day he died. His feral snarl showed of a set of extremely sharp canine teeth that looked dangerous. In all, the large green -… thing, was a horrifying display of alien strength. But the voice that emitted from his throat would most definitely be the thing that Hercule would remember.

"Hercule, I will only say this once, and you had better never forget it. We do not care what you do after today, take the credit if you will, get your money and fame. We don't want it. But you will not ever forget what my friend did here... Understand, that while you may be a powerful human in your own rights, that _boy_ is the best this world has to offer, same as his father whom you owe your life to. You will never be able to compare to the power that you witnessed today. It would benefit you to _humble _yourself, and accept that you would be nothing if not for them."

Hercule looked at him stunned. The hamster wheel had stopped turning and he was trying desperately to understand what had just happened.

_What the hell am I supposed to say to that? There's no way that a child can be more powerful than me!_

Before he could even voice his thoughts the green man had disappeared, leaving Hercule at the site where Cell had disappeared. He looked around, only to find himself alone. He furrowed his brow, thinking hard. He knew that he had not killed cell. But he knew that the light tricks and flying that all of those guys were using had to have been fake; mere smoke and mirrors. Or maybe an advanced suit that gave them those super abilities. He just had to find the source of it all and he could prove he was the superior fighter.

His musings were interrupted by a small commotion behind him. He turned to see a small group running from the edge of the battlefield towards him. He was silently grateful that they hadn't been there earlier, lest they heard what the green guy had said.

_Oh great, the camera crew and that damned reporter. What am I supposed to tell them?_

"Mr. Satan! Mr. Satan! What the hell happened here?! Where is Cell?"

The eyes of his students and his manager looked at him expectantly. They were all worse for wear, between the tattered clothing and the bruises and cuts that covered them, they all looked like they had been through hell.

_Well I suppose when you think about it they have. Bah! Nevermind I have to give them something here! _

"You, cameraman! Did you catch everything that happened out there?"

The teenage boy look at him with a depressed expression: "Nah man, the camera was destroyed when we all got blown away. I don't even know if the footage that we had on tape survived that!"

_Well… Think fast Hercule, the world expects an answer, and you're the only one besides those fakes that know what happened. Maybe I should just do what that green guy said? I mean, what's the worst that could happen...? It's not like they'll take my daughter from me or something... They'd have to be able to set up the stage for those tricks, and I can fight them all off in a fair fight! I'm the world champ after all!_

With that thought, Hercule plastered on the best smirk he could muster, and began his story, omitting the crucial detail that it was not him, but the "delivery boy" who had destroyed cell.

***A FEW MINUTES LATER AT THE LOOKOUT***

"GOHAN!"

Dende rushed to the side of his longtime friend. He collapsed at his side as Yamcha dropped him from his shoulders to the tiles of the lookout. The man was still in a state of shock, but was doing his best to remain in control of the situation. Dende ran his panic filled eyes over them both, mortified at how badly they had come out of this one.

"Dende please, calm down and focus! Okay? He's unconscious but he's still alive. Can you help him? He can't afford to lose any more blood!"

The scarred face of Yamcha was contorted in fear and what appeared to be nausea as he looked at the son of his one-time rival. Dende looked back at Gohan and began fully taking in his friends injuries with as calm a mind as he could. He was a mess.

His face had several cuts, one of which looked like was directly over a skull fracture. His legs were severely bruised and Dende could tell that there were multiple fractures. Several of his ribs were most definitely broken or cracked, one of them evidently puncturing a lung by the blood flowing freely from his mouth with each ragged breath, and there were more bruises and small cuts than could be counted. But worst of all was the horrendous amount of damage done to his left arm. The muscles around the shoulder were disintegrated and burned away completely, and he could see his shoulder was out of its shattered socket, with the bone sticking out of the open wound as dark red blood oozed out onto the lookout tile. More than that, Dende could tell that the bones of his arm were borderline pulverized, and the ligaments and tendons were all shredded if they were there at all. Needless to say this would be harder than he could ever imagine. He'd healed cuts and punctures, even severe burns, but for all intents and purposes, this arm was finished. Had he not had the ability to heal as well as he could, there would have been no hope for it at all.

"Yamcha I can heal him... I think. He's going to have permanent damage to his arm, how severe I don't know. I think I can give him full use of it but at the very minimum he's going to have a scar there. There's nothing I can do about that, this is just too much! I can't just recreate his arm, I have to replicate it using what's there, and there's not much for me to work with... The rest of this I think I can make disappear, but it will take time, and more than one attempt I think. You might want to get his mother up here so that I can explain what's going on."

"No need Dende, Tien is on his way to get Chi-Chi. I don't envy the man, I can only imagine what she is going to do. Krillin is stopping by Korin's, but I think we took the only senzus ready for use when the Androids appeared. The others should be here soon. Trunks and Goku didn't make it, and everyone else is in bad shape... But help Gohan first, we need to keep him alive!"

His voice was grave, and his expression was downcast as he watched Dende get to work. The guardian began, pushing his energy out to through his hands, focusing on the giant wound in his shoulder. He could sense the sinew and muscles starting to replicate and attach under his influence, and with a sickening pop, the shoulder popped back into its socket. The muscle began to expand and flow together, closely followed by new skin, sealing in the wound and creating a large pearly scar where the skin had to be created. The smaller cuts began to flow back together and his breathing evened out as his punctured lung healed. Suddenly Dende felt himself slipping into heavy fatigue and cut the flow of energy before darkness swallowed him. He breathed heavily and leaned on his hands, trying to steady his mind.

"I can't continue right now Yamcha. I'm out of energy, and his injuries are too severe for me to heal in one go."

He looked up with a tired expression to meet the stares of several people. Yamcha was still staring at the tiles between his feet, silently holding back his sobs at the loss of one of his best friends. Krillin was there with an unconscious android 18 cradled in his arms bridal style as he gazed upon the still form of Gohan with what was definitely regret in his eyes. Piccolo stood in the back of the group, eyes shut and arms crossed as he stood there sensing for more Ki. Tien had arrived as well, and sat back on his haunches with his face hidden from view. Mirai Trunks was laying on his back on the other side of Gohan, his face still frozen in a shocked expression and the gaping hole in his chest still leaking onto the tile. But the one person Dende feared most at that moment was staring straight at him, tears in her eyes and the fiercest glare that she could manage lining her face.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CANT HEAL HIM?! MY LITTLE BABY GOT HURT AND YOU CANT HEAL HIM?! YOU'RE KAMI FOR… FOR YOUR SAKE! OH WHERE IS THAT MAN?! WHERE IS MY HUSBAND?! I TOLD HIM TO PROMISE ME THAT GOHAN WOULDN'T FIGHT, AND NOW LOOK!"

Everyone present tensed as they heard those words. Chi-Chi looked from Dende's shocked expression to the others, who suddenly noticed some fancy new patterns in the plain white tile between their feet. Picollo stepped in at this point, his face grave and his eyes showing something that few had ever seen before: Pity. Pity for a woman who did not yet know her husband was dead.

"Chi Chi, listen. What I'm about to tell you will not be easy for you to hear."

Chi Chi stopped and looked at Piccolo with a death glare. He swallowed past the lump that suddenly formed in his throat and continued.

"Chi Chi, your husband – Goku … He didn't make it. He sacrificed himself to save us all. Cell killed him after he used instant transmission to take that... _monster_ away from us all. Cell couldn't beat Gohan so he decided to self-destruct, taking the planet with him. Goku took him elsewhere, but Cell came back, and Goku wasn't with him. Gohan nearly lost everything when he returned, but in the end, Cell was destroyed for good. We paid a terrible price. Trunks and Goku are dead, and Gohan nearly joined them."

Chi Chi's face dropped the glare as soon as Piccolo started his speech. She knew what was coming as soon as it began, but was still caught off guard when she heard the news. She promptly fainted when he finished and realized that it _wasn't _some sort of cruel joke, with Tien barely catching her before she hit the floor. Piccolo looked to Dende, and instantly made up his mind what their course of action should be.

"Dende, get Gohan to one of the rooms up here, we need to get him back up on his feet. I don't care how long it takes. The rest of us –", He turned and looked at the group, who picked up their heads to look at the Namekian, "We are going to go collect the dragon balls from Bulma. We have two wishes to make, and I can think of what they should be already. We need to wish everyone back who Cell took from us. We're going to have to figure out what to do with Gohan and Goku though. Goku can't be wished back by Shenron since it would be his second time. But I have an idea, and I think that Gohan will realize it when he awakens as well."

The mood seemed to lighten instantly at the mentioning of the Dragon balls. No matter how dark the times got for them, they always found a way to make it right again. It was something that their lives had been privileged with, and it was all due to a certain spiky-haired Saiyan they'd all come to love over time. The whole group stood with a new fire in their eyes. Leaving Android 18 and the body of Mirai in the hands of the little guardian and Mr. Popo, they took off to West City and Capsule Corp to make things right.

***SEVERAL HOURS LATER***

Mr. Popo and Dende had already moved Chi Chi and Gohan to beds within the lookout. Both were still unconscious when the Z fighters had returned, this time with a very quiet Vegeta and a very frantic Bulma carrying a crying Trunks in her arms. She instantly spotted her deceased teenage son from the future and sprinted over to him. While she technically hadn't raised this boy, she still felt a powerful motherly affection towards him. Even Vegeta was struggling, standing in the back with his eyes closed and brow furrowed as he clenched his fists at his sides.

Krillin brought forward a large bag and emptied the contents onto the floor of the lookout, revealing the seven Dragon Balls that Bulma had a habit of collecting now.

"Well guys, what do you say we do this? No time like the present right?"

He glanced at the sobbing Bulma and then to Piccolo, who shook his head at the monk.

"Not until Dende gets here. He's working on Gohan right now, and judging by the kid's ki, he's about to be coming around. He needs to be here for this. We owe it to him to add his own input."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the entire Z-gang felt the boy's ki spike and then level out. They all turned their heads expectantly towards the building in the center of the lookout, where Gohan emerged next to a very exhausted looking Dende, clutching his left side and favoring his right leg. He was wearing his white traditional shirt and black pants he wore prior to the Cell games. In spite of the severity of his injuries, his face lit up into a weak smile as he took in the gang and the dragon balls lying before them. The Z fighters let out a collective sigh of relief seeing him alive and moving under his own power.

"Hey guys! Sorry I took so long, that grasshopper bit off a bit more than I expected huh?

The gang all laughed except for Vegeta and Piccolo, who just smirked at the bit dark humor. Even in the gravest of situations, he still had his father's ability to make the situation seem just a bit better. Piccolo was the first to break the following silence.

"You had us all worried there kid. Glad to see you up on your feet. This time, you get to do this. Summon Shenron, you've earned that right."

Gohan nodded and limped over to the group to stand in front of the Dragon balls. He looked expectantly over to Dende, who simply nodded and went over to check on Android 18, who was beginning to stir. Gohan looked down upon the dragon balls, summoned the strength in his voice, and spoke the words to summon the dragon.

"Eternal dragon! By your name I summon you forth: Shenron!"

The dragon balls glowed golden, and the sky began to darken. Lightning jumped from one ball to the others before shooting up into the sky and taking the form of Shenron. The dragon looked down upon the Z fighters and spoke in a low rumbling voice that vibrated everyone down to their bones.

**"I have been summoned! State your two wishes."**

Gohan looked back at the Z-fighters and got the silent consent to continue.

"Shenron! Please, revive all of the people that were killed by Cell and the Androids!"

Shenron hesitated a moment, closing his eyes as if in deep thought.

**"Do you realize what you are asking of me?"**, His eyes opened to take in the hopeful looks of all the Z fighters. **"Very well, It shall be done."**

The dragons eyes glowed a brilliant ruby color, and all of the Z-fighters could feel the life return to the planet, as well as Mirai Trunks. The hole in his chest closed and he began to cough as the life flowed back into him. Bulma squealed in delight and tackled her future son as he tried to sit up. Trunks gasped at the sudden loss of air and looked around in confusion before realization set in, and he returned his mother's hug.

Gohan tore his eyes from the scene to look up at the Z fighters again. He'd hoped that he was wrong, and his father would have been included in that wish. But after all, the laws that governed the dragon were still in place, and his father remained gone. Still full of hope, he sheepishly let out his thoughts.

"Well guys, what now? I know dad couldn't be wished back with Shenron, but we need him. It's a lot to ask, but do you think we should wish ourselves to New Namek and ask them to summon Porunga for us?"

Before anyone could answer his question, a new voice was heard echoing in all of their heads.

_**"Wait you guys, don't make that wish! It'll do you no good!"**_

Yamcha, Tien, and Piccolo instantly recognized the voice and looked up to the sky. Yamcha was the first to recover from the shock while the rest of the gang looked at him expectantly when he gasped in recognition.

"King Kai! Is that you?! What's going on? Why shouldn't we try to wish Goku back? He is there right?"

_**"Well yes, but... you can't because… Well because by order of the Grand Kai, Goku cannot come back! He brought Cell to my planet, and I died as a result of his actions... I'm sorry my friends, the Grand Kai has made the decision that his punishment for my death is to remain dead. Permanently."**_

The Z fighters faces drained of color, even Piccolo seemed pale. But one of the group took the blow worse than the rest. Gohan stood there, dumbfounded at the revelation. The bubble of hope that had been swelling in his chest had just burst, leaving a void where his father used to be. In that one moment, his entire world seemed to crash down around his head with nobody to blame but himself.

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**A/N: Well, this is the first chapter "Remastered". For those of you who read the original, I'm sure you noticed the differences. I kept the story the same, merely changing some of the wording and hopefully making all the corrections I needed. I hope it was a change for the better. Chapter two will be edited soon as well. Until then, ta-ta for now, and have a fantastic day!**


	2. Compounding Guilt and Duty

**(REMASTERED): Well I'm just going to start putting this at the start of the chapters I'm re-writing/editing. It's not going to be huge changes, just like the first chapter. Just re-wording to make it sound not stupid... I'm reading my notes from these first chapters and thinking, "Pffft... 'quite long'? Noob writer, who is this scrub?" Kinda embarrassing really, considering my average chapter is something like 10-12k words now. Gotta love what experience does to your work in hindsight huh? Anyways, onto this one!**

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**This one is quite long, but it is crucial to the plot of this story. It provides some insight on how Gohan thinks, and revisits some old friends. Thanks to xrail and Dyton for reviewing the first chapter for me! I'm glad you agree with me, and that you approve of my reason for Goku staying dead. There's more to come, keep your eyes peeled! I plan on getting this all on paper relatively quick, with an update every few days. Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I'm not going to post one on any of the following chapters, so here you go! I don't own anything! Except a rather old and banged up pair of boots under my bed... I do own those, but that's because nobody else wanted them =D**

**On to the story!**

**Chapter 2: Compounding Guilt and Duty**

Gohan woke with a start. He hadn't slept hardly at all since the Cell games two weeks ago. The memories from that day, and the searing pain of emptiness haunted his mind. Worse though, was knowing that it was all his fault. Sure Goku had been the one that took Cell to King Kai's planet, but Gohan knew that he wouldn't have needed to if he had just killed Cell when he was told to. His father had warned him. Piccolo had warned him. It was his fault that his father was not able to return. It was his fault that his mother was left without a husband. No matter how many times he thought about it, no matter how often he said it to himself, it always came back around to him. The one time he had let his Saiyan side dominate his personality, it had killed his father. He despised it. He despised himself. Ice gripped at his heart, and Gohan stood, unable to return to sleep.

"Ah Gohan, you're up already!"

Gohan turned in surprise to face Mr. Popo; the chubby black man who assisted Dende as he entered Gohan's room on the lookout. They had not returned home yet, deciding that it would be wise to wait until Gohan was healed more and Chi Chi had recovered from the shock enough to get through a day. Gohan had demanded that they leave his healing to nature and hard work, and he wanted to keep the scar as a reminder. He didn't want them to waste the second wish from the dragon as suggested. So they remained, under the care of Mr. Popo and the watchful eyes of Piccolo and Dende. Like always, Mr. Popo had a cheery grin on his face, his black emotionless eyes staring at the young boy as he stretched. Gohan composed his face from its scowl that had hardly left it the last two weeks to a weak smile that didn't make it all the way to his eyes.

"Hey Popo. Yea, I'll be going out for some meditation and sparring if Piccolo is willing. My arm is feeling much better today, and I think that I should be able to use it normally now."

Gohan demonstrated his full movement by swinging his arm around in a wide circle, hiding his discomfort as the muscles in the shoulder cramped with the movement. He did try his best to sound optimistic and act like it was fine, though he knew that Popo saw right through it. It was foolish and childish, but he didn't want them to see how forced his strength was.

_Stupid... Just stupid. It's another thing that wouldn't have happened if you had just killed Cell the first time. You wouldn't have decided to do this the hard way. You wouldn't have this stupid scar and your shoulder would still be working fine._

Popo, seeming to read his mind cleared his throat, getting the boys attention.

"Gohan listen. I know what you're going through right now. I'm not going to lie to you, this could have been prevented, but it does not fall solely on your shoulders to have done so. Had your father destroyed Dr. Gero back when he fought the Red Ribbon Army, none of this would have happened. If Krillin had decided to destroy Android 18 instead of sparing her, Cell would never have gotten to his perfect form. You shouldn't make yourself into the scapegoat..."

Gohan looked up from his feet as Popo paused, his smile gone. His eyes were glazed and he was again wearing his scowl. He wasn't mad at Mr. Popo. He knew he was right. But it wasn't what he wanted to hear.

"The fact is Gohan, you cannot beat yourself up for something that might have happened. You've got to accept what has occurred and you need to move on. For your sake, and for your mother's sake."

Gohan held up his hand and motioned for Popo to stop. The tears were beginning to form in his clenched eyes as he gritted his teeth.

"No Popo. I don't care how many people could have made a difference before me. I had the power to stop it, and I didn't. I messed up. Now please, stand aside so I can leave."

Mr. Popo nodded slightly and stepped away from the doorway, allowing Gohan to brush past him into the hall. He walked through the lookout, passing his mother's room along the way. He could feel her Ki inside, wavering as she slept fitfully. Gohan paused for a moment and put his hand against the door. He wanted her to hold him like she used to, but every time he imagined it, he felt his betrayal dig deeper and deeper into his soul. His vision swam as the tears dropped down his face to the floor. A silent sob racked his body as he felt her ki spike in her sleep.

"I'm so sorry mother. It's my fault. I'm all that is left of Dad, and you have to live with the fact that I'm the reason he's gone. "

He wiped his eyes on the back of his long sleeve shirt and he composed himself, walking towards the front entrance to the lookout. He looked around a moment for Dende before spotting the young guardian in deep conversation with Piccolo. Brushing his eyes one last time, he walked to them, spiking his ki for a moment to alert them to his presence. Piccolo raised his gaze to Gohan as he approached, his normal scowl being replaced by a soft smile. Dende turned to his young friend with a worried look on his face.

"Gohan! Are you feeling alright? It's only been a couple hours since you left to get some sleep and it's still dark out. Is it your arm?"

_I wish it were only my arm..._

Gohan shook his head and held up his hands towards Dende. He kept his face as neutral as possible, but he knew that he was failing. His eyes betrayed his thoughts to the two Namekians.

"I'm fine Dende. I know you said I should give it more time to heal, but I need to try and spar with Piccolo and do some meditation if you don't mind? My shoulder is feeling much better now, and I want to try and get it back in the game."

Dende glanced up at Piccolo nervously. The tall Namekian paused a moment, looking at the ground with a thoughtful expression. Gohan knew that the two were talking about him just now, but decided not to press them with questions about it. He just wanted to spar, and he wanted to lose. He wanted Piccolo to hurt him like he felt he deserved. At the moment, he wouldn't have minded cell returning again to finish what he started with Gohan's arm. He fought to keep his emotions in check and not let them show on his face. Desperation was the last thing they needed to see from him.

"Fine kid, we'll spar. But as soon as something goes wrong with your arm, we're stopping."

He nodded, unable to even attempt a smile, and turned to step out onto the platform. He began pulling his gi top off, rolling his stiff and aching shoulder to try and loosen it.

_Perfect._

***HALF AN HOUR LATER***

Gohan spun away rapidly before regaining control of his Ki and halting himself. He was bruised all over his upper body, his shiny white scar seemed to glow in the night, and the painful ache in it burned with a satisfying fire. He was bleeding out the corner of his mouth, and his gi pants were in a ruffled state. His face was contorted into a feral snarl and his eyes were lit with a fire of rage.

"Piccolo I know you can do better than that! Don't hold back! I AM NOT A WEAKLING SO DON'T TAKE IT EASY ON ME!"

His mentor was in rough shape as well, having taken quite a beating from the young demi-saiyan over the short course of this battle. His turban and cape were long gone, and his gi was shredded. He knew that the boy was in pain after he used the Masenko on him, but that was when he realized to his horror that Gohan seemed to be reveling in it. He hadn't realized that his fire during their fight was caused by the damage he was taking.

_Now I get it... I know what you're after kid. I taught you better than this! I'm not going to kill you, so what do you think you're doing? I understand you're mourning your father, but this is getting out of hand. You don't even know that your mother is pregnant yet and you're trying to make life harder on her than it already is. This has gone on long enough!_

"Gohan, we need to stop this! I know what you're doing and I will not be a part of it!"

Gohan growled at his old mentor, furious that he'd let it show, that he was being shown such disgusting mercy. His fists clenched at his sides as rage began to boil in his chest. Piccolo could only watch in horror as his student powered up. Surpassing the first level of super saiyan and falling into the second level with an agonizing scream. Gohan's golden aura exploded around him as power flowed out of the young demi-saiyan, nearly throwing Piccolo off the edge of the lookout and uprooting the trees in the garden. The enraged boy sprinted forward, completely catching Piccolo off guard and burying his fist in his stomach. Piccolo collapsed backwards, winded, and Gohan jumped on his chest, pummeling his former mentor repeatedly across the face.

"DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND PICCOLO?! IT'S MY FAULT HE'S GONE! I KILLED HIM! IT. SHOULD. HAVE. BEEN. ME! NOW GET UP AND HIT ME!"

Gohan had paused in his beating of Piccolo, and sat there panting and clutching the older man's gi front. Piccolo winced as his head seemed to spin from the beating he had just taken. Blood was now flowing freely from his nose and the corners of his mouth. He was barely able to focus on the three Gohans he saw before him.

_I knew he would be taking this hard, but this is too much. I have to tell him, or else he is going to find a way to off himself. Or worse he may kill someone me. I dread to imagine what he would do after, if he lost it like that. What does he need right now... Think..._

Dende came running out the front of the front of the lookout, panic written all over his face. He was closely followed by a scared looking Chi Chi. She gasped and held her hand to her chest as she watched her son crouching over his former mentor. She was barely able to make a sound as he looked up at her, pain and rage clearly written all over his face.

"G-… Gohan? Sweety, please calm down?"

Gohan looked down at his mentor staring back up at him in fear and disappointment. He felt a pang of guilt and closed his eyes, averting his face from his mother and friends so that they wouldn't see the tears beginning to flow. After all that he'd been through, he was still being a child. Still clenching the front of Piccolo's gi, he snapped his head towards his mother, causing her to flinch.

"How can you possibly expect me to be calm?! How can you speak to me like you don't think it's my fault? It's insulting to Dad, pretending like this! You know what I've done but you talk to me like I didn't do anything wrong? How can you even bear to look at me knowing what I am?"

He got quieter and quieter as he spoke until he was barely whispering the last sentence. Chi Chi stared at her son with disbelief. To hear her own child in so much pain was torture for her, and she collapsed to her knees. She sat there, one hand covering her mouth as she stared at her son.

"Mom, I wasn't strong enough. I had the power to defeat him, and to save dad. I didn't. I killed him and now all that is left is me."

Chichi watched her son as he tightened his hold on Piccolo's gi and hunched over as if he were in pain. His eyes shut tight and teeth clamped down. She hated seeing him like this. This was not the sweet, innocent Gohan who had left with her husband a mere two weeks ago. She wanted her son back. She needed him to be there for her, even if it was just by being the Gohan she remembered. Her unborn child needed him just as much as Gohan had needed his father growing up. She didn't want her children to suffer.

"Gohan, sweety, please listen to me."

Gohan looked at her, his eyes filled with despair. He didn't want to hurt her any more than he had already, but he knew that he would always be a source of pain to her. In his mind, every move he made would only bring more pain and suffering.

"Gohan, you're not alone, and you never will be. You're always going to have family to stand by you... Sweety, Dende just told me today; I'm pregnant. You're going to have a little sibling soon."

Gohan's mind and body went numb. He unconsciously dropped Piccolo and stood, his face showing the shock. He had noticed that his mother's ki felt different the last few days, but he hadn't really given it much thought, consumed by his own grief as he was. He figured that she was just grieving the loss of her husband and conflicted over her son. Suddenly his eyes hardened, he snapped his mouth shut in a scowl and he took a few steps back from his sobbing mother and his former master, who was trying to recover enough to stand. He looked down at his hands. His calloused and rough hands.

_These are the hands of a killer, the hands that murdered my father. Now my little brother or sister… Kami how can I live with this. My sibling will grow up without a father! What have I done? NO!_

"Gohan, please listen to me! I need you to be here with me. I can't lose you too!"

But Chi Chi's words fell on deaf ears. Gohan staggered away from his mother, self-loathing and fear etched across his young face. His eyes refused to focus on her. He couldn't look at his mentor. He could only stare at the horror his mind was creating for him. Without another word he turned on his heel and sprinted to the edge of the lookout, diving off before flying away trailing a streak of golden ki.

"GOHAN NO! Oh my – Dende where is he going?! Bring him back! Please?!"

Panic gripped Chi Chi as she watched her son disappear beyond the horizon. She grabbed onto the front of Dende's robe and looked at him with the most hopeless expression she could muster. Dende just sighed and dropped his gaze, knowing that even if he did go after Gohan, he'd do more harm than good in his state of mind.

"I can't Chi Chi, I'm sorry. There is nothing I can do to bring him back here, as much as I want to."

Piccolo was finally standing on his own, nursing a severely bruised stomach, and spitting blood from his tongue. He put a hand on Chi Chi's shoulder, startling her. She jumped and looked up scared at Piccolo, who was frowning slightly, deep in thought. In spite of the terrible beating he'd just taken, Piccolo felt no ill will towards the boy. He could understand his desire for pain to compensate for the emptiness, though he wished that he had chosen a different outlet than his face. He had come to the conclusion that Gohan needed to figure it out, and he had confidence that he would. All the same, he was going to keep an eye on his ki and pray that he'd be able to get to him in time if something did go wrong.

"Chi Chi, he's got a lot going on in his head. If I know Gohan, he's struggling with the fact that his sibling will grow up without a father. We need to leave him be to come to terms with it. Soon enough he will return, and just you watch, he will realize that he must be there for you. He knows that he is now the man of the house, he just needs to accept that fact."

Chi Chi sniffled a bit and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. She looked down at the ground below her feet, still shocked at her sons reaction.

"I hope you're right Piccolo. I just don't know what to do. Goku would know."

***SOMEWHERE OVER THE 439 MOUNTAIN AREA***

Gohan flew. He didn't care where to, he just had to get away. He was completely lost in his own thoughts.

_My mother is pregnant, and my sibling will grow up without a father. It's my fault! I can't replace dad, how could I? I'm nothing like him! He would never let his ego get to him when it mattered!_ _He should be the one here, not me! Why did he have to pay for my mistake?!_

"DAMN YOU CELL!"

Gohan roared to the sky as loud as he could, his aura erupting around him in a giant swirling vortex as he floated above a heavily wooded area. He let out all of his anger and anguish, tears streaming down his face. He just wanted it to end. He wanted his body to fail and fall apart, to scatter on the wind. His scream of agony shook the planet. From the ground below, a young girl with auburn hair and green eyes clutched onto her mother's leg as tight as she could while watching the boy who had saved her.

"Mommy! That's him! That's Gohan!"

Lime's mother looked on in fear at the sight she was witnessing. The rest of the village was now outside their homes, watching the sky in amazement at the golden boy floating there. Gohan's scream continued for a few more seconds before his aura began to die away. He couldn't take the pain any more. No matter how much he hated it, no matter how much he loathed himself, he feared death still. He didn't want to die, even if living was too painful to _really_ live. He started seeing tunnel vision and his muscles relaxed as exhaustion took over. He looked down at the forest below him, barely noticing that he had wandered his way back towards the 439 mountain area. The last thing he noticed before blackness took him was the small village at the edge of his senses, and the shocked faces of those who had just witnessed him lose control.

Lime watched as Gohan suddenly stopped screaming. His golden glow disappeared, and he began to fall. Lime watched him fall, and every second he got closer to the ground, she began to panic more and more.

_What's wrong with him? He... Oh no..._

_"_Gohan no! Snap out of it!"

But her screams were for naught. She flinched and hid hid her face in her mothers skirt when she heard him hit the trees in the distance. She could hear the groaning of wood straining and the snapping of branches as her hero fell through them. As quickly as she could, she sprinted to the forest, ignoring her mother's calls and the screams of the villagers.

_Oh please let him be okay!_

She kept running until the signs of wildlife seemed to be non-existent. The birds and small animals had scattered at the intrusion upon their homes. She began searching for signs of the boy, looking for broken branches or a body, and dreading the worst. It didn't take long before she found him buried in a pile of branches that had snapped off one of the tall pines. She began to panic when she noticed that his arm was hanging limply out of the side of the pile with blood dripping from the tips of his fingers.

"Gohan!"

She ran forward and began pulling branches off of him until finally, she could see his face. She gasped and recoiled as the blood drained from her face. There was a large cut running across his eye starting at the left side of his brow and ending on his left cheek. Blood was running freely from the wound and pooling in the pit of his eye. He wasn't wearing his gi top, and she noticed that his entire body was covered in scrapes and small cuts, as well as a large pearly white scar that stretched across his well muscled shoulder. Quickly she moved the remaining branches from him and dragged him out into a clearing as best as she could.

_He weighs a ton! Oh Kami I cant carry him back to the village! What am I going to do? He needs help!_

_"_Lime! Gohan?!"

Lime's grandfather, Mr. Lao, came rushing into the clearing in search of his grand-daughter. Upon seeing the young boy laid out before her, he rushed to her side. He did a quick one-over of him and looked at Lime, a serious expression on his face.

"Lime, run back to the village! Tell your mother to gather her medical supplies and the herbs from my cabinet. Go! Quickly!"

Lime, eager to see her friend better again, nodded and ran off in the direction of the village, leaving Mr. Lao with the boy. He reached down and picked Gohan up, albeit with some difficulty. He hefted the boy higher up in his arms to steady him, and then took off after his grand-daughter. Within minutes he arrived at the edge of the village, where a small crowd had gathered to see the strange flying child. Many of them gasped in surprise when they saw that Mr. Lao was covered in blood, and more than a couple women fainted upon seeing Gohan well for the first time. Lao hobbled past the onlookers, and jumped up the steps to his daughters home. Entering the main room, he saw that she had already cleared the dining room table, and draped a tarp over it. Medical supplies were scattered accross the counter of the kitchen behind the table, and a very determined looking Mrs. Lemon was filling a pot with water to boil. Upon seeing her father carrying Gohan, she put the bowl on the stove and gathered all the medical supplies she could in her arms before rushing over to the table.

"Put him down here dad, I'll get him cleaned up. Lime! Do you have the medicine yet?"

Lime sprinted in the front door clutching a bag of brown dried up leaves.

"Right here mama! How bad is it? Will he be alright?"

Mrs. Lemon looked at her father, giving him a silent 'get her out of here please?' look before returning to the kitchen to grab the pot of now boiling water. Mr Lao looked down at the girl before realizing that they were both covered in Gohan's blood.

"Lime, we need to go get cleaned up. Your mother will take care of young Gohan. He'll be alright."

Lime looked up at her grandfather from her spot next to the dinner table, tears already forming in her eyes. But she nodded and ran up the stairs to her bathroom, her grandfather in tow. With them both gone, Mrs. Lemon began working, removing the tattered gi pants and shoes from Gohan. She began cleaning the wounds with a cloth she dipped in the boiling water. The sheer amount of abuse shown on his skin dumbfounded her, and she shuddered to think about how he had received it all.

"I don't know what you're made of kid. You're tougher than anyone I've ever met, but I don't think that even you will be able to come out of this one without a scar or two."

She winced as she looked at the cut across his face, seeing that whatever he had hit had gone all the way to the bone on his brow. She opened his eye hesitantly, worried that there would be damage there, and was relieved to see that it was still whole. Quietly thanking Kami for little miracles, she continued her work.

***TWO DAYS LATER***

The first sense that Gohan noticed was his hearing. It wasn't clear, but he was certain that he heard voices. It sounded like a family chatting over dinner.

_I wonder if it was all a dream? Could that be my parents? Dende please let it be real._

His thoughts were interrupted by the pain. It started in the back of his skull, then spread all through his body. The left side of his face felt like it was on fire, and it didn't respond immediately to his commands. Slowly he managed to open his eyes, and almost immediately went into a state of panic. He could see out of his right eye fine, but his left was unresponsive. He tried to bring his left arm up to touch his face and cried out when the pain in his shoulder burst through his groggy state of mind. He sat up as quickly as his body would allow, and was startled to realize that he wasn't in his room. Suddenly the door across from him burst open, and someone familiar to him sprinted across the room and tackled him in a fierce hug, causing him to fall back and grunt in pain.

"Gohan! I-never-thought-you-would-wake-up-after-I-saw-you-fall-I-was-so-scared-and-you-were-bleeding-and-mom-fixed-you-up-and-i'm-just-glad-you're-finally-awake!"

Gohan struggled with himself for a moment, trying to push aside the pain that the young girl had just inflicted upon his battered body. Eventually it subsided and he gently patted her shoulder as she sobbed into his chest. He looked up to see a relieved looking woman with Dark brown hair and Emerald colored eyes bearing a small smile, and a very disgruntled looking Mr. Lao.

"It's alright Lime, I'm fine." He paused a moment, concentrating on not loosing his cool. "What happened to my eye? Why can't I see out of my left eye?"

Lime looked up at him and giggled nervously. She reached up and pulled on something that was tied to his face, letting cool air flow to the previously covered skin. The bandage and large cotton pad fell off of his face and Gohan saw that it was dark with dried blood. Gohan felt his eye flutter for a moment before it slowly responded to his command, and he could feel the light pouring in, making him squint. Instantly, relief flowed through him.

_Good, i'm not blind. I must have gotten a cut across my face when I fell... Kami how long have I been out?_

Seemingly on cue, the woman he assumed to be Lime's mother walked to him and gently inspected him. She first looked at his eye, seemingly surprised for a moment before moving on to the rest of his injuries.

"Gohan is it? I don't know how this is possible, but the cut over your eye has already healed a considerable amount. You've been unconscious for two days. I'm afraid that there isn't much I can do about your shoulder, it seems as if you have an old injury that wont heal there. As large as that scar is, i'm surprised that you didn't have to have it amputated."

Gohan nodded slightly. He battled with himself for a moment before deciding that the woman was not a threat, and that Lime and her grandfather already knew enough for him to not be scared of them. He didn't remember caring before whether or not someone was a threat. But his gut was yelling at him now, and he wanted to listen to it.

"Yes my name is Gohan Son. I'm guessing you're Lime's mother?"

"Yes I am, but you can call me Peach. I don't know when my husband will be back, but his name is Tang. He's been out and about looking for your parents. Lime said that you lived near here, but didn't know specifically where to take you. Now that you're awake, we can get you home."

Gohan felt like a lead weight had just been dropped into his stomach. He knew that he would have to face the music eventually, but he wasn't sure if he could handle seeing his mother again. Not after what he had done. What he had attempted to do.

"Gohan? What's wrong?

Gohan looked at Lime, who was giving him a concerned look.

"I can't go home Lime... I just can't. Not yet."

He felt the burn in his eyes as he struggled to maintain his composure. He could feel the eyes of Mr. Lao and Peach on him, and Limes expression changed to a confused and worried look.

"Lime... Dad's gone. He's dead."

Gohan could barely hold back his tears now as he heard Lime and her mother gasp in shock. Mr. Lao mumbled something that Gohan didn't manage to catch, and Lime locked eyes with Gohan.

"How though? It couldn't have been Cell, because the people he killed were brought back! And nobody else would want to kill him, he was too nice! Why did it have to be him?"

Gohan crumbled at those words. Those same words that he had been asking himself these last two weeks. The tears began to flow freely from his eyes, and the lump in his throat seemed to swell until he couldn't breathe anymore. He had to get it out, he had to tell someone, and he was too desperate to be picky now. He needed to come clean, and before he realized why he was trusting these people, he was spilling his guts to them.

"No it wasn't Cell... It was me."

Lime recoiled at his words and stared at him hard. Peach's breath caught in her throat as she looked at this boy. The boy who had saved her daughter. Even Lao's brow furrowed in thought at him. But before they could say anything, Gohan continued.

"I had Cell. I was winning, and he knew it. I let my pride get the better of me, and I got arrogant. I wanted him to feel a hundred times over the pain that he had caused everyone. Before I could realize my mistake and what I had done, cell decided to destroy himself, and the planet along with him. My father... He stepped in. He smiled at me, and said he was proud of me... Then he was gone. He teleported Cell away from the earth, and died in the explosion. I killed him by being arrogant when I had the chance to finish it. And the worst part was, it was all in vain. Cell came back... dad didn't."

His eyes were downcast, and he was fiddling with the blanket across his lap. He didn't seem to notice that the tears had stopped flowing from his eyes. In a way, he felt better. Thinking of the last words that his father had spoken to him. He still didn't want to believe that his father was proud of him. How could he, when there was nothing for him to be proud of? It was just comforting knowing that Goku had been a good enough man to try to ease his son's pain.

"Gohan... What did you do? What happened after that?"

Gohan considered for a moment. He still didn't look up from the sheets on his bed.

"Cell regenerated. He came back and he killed someone else; My friend Trunks. He tried to kill Vegeta too, but I refused to let him take another. So I blocked it. That's how I got the scar on my shoulder."

Peach looked at him skeptically for a moment, but didn't interrupt.

"In the end... I killed him. I killed Cell, and may that bastard rot in hell."

The silence in the room was thick enough to be sliced with a knife. It was broken by Mr. Lao, who spoke for the first time during this encounter.

"My boy, you saved us all. Understand one thing, you cannot control who falls in battle, that is the nature of war. There's always your opposite number trying to kill you, just as you're trying to kill him. In the end, you were the one who emerged victorious."

Gohan looked up at him to see he was wearing a small smile. Like a father proud of his own son. It was that same smile Goku had always worn when he'd made a breakthrough in his training. The same one Piccolo had when he uttered his dying breath at the Saiyan attack. He didn't want it, he didn't deserve it. He continued before Gohan could say what was eating away at his mind.

"And if I were a Goku Son, I would be incredibly proud to call you my son. Do not blame yourself for your fathers death Gohan. It's not your burden to bear, but Cell's."

Gohan frowned and looked back at his hands. He knew he had caused his fathers death. There was no way around it. But he knew that he had to go on and do what he could. He began to hope that one day he would be able to see his father and beg for nothing more than his forgiveness. Gohan would never really be able to forgive himself, but his mother needed him, and he felt he needed to step into his fathers position now that he was gone. He was going to lay in the bed he had made. The thought didn't remove his guilt or his pain, but it gave him purpose. He was startled out of his thoughts as Lime lunged forward and wrapped him in a tight embrace.

"Gohan, I... _we_ owe you everything. My parents are back and Cell is gone for good. You're the one responsible for it, I just know it! Whatever you need, we will try to make it up to you. Right mama?"

She nodded to Gohan, still lost in thought about something. Gohan separated himself from Lime and smiled sheepishly.

"Could you umm... Could you guys not mention any of this to anyone outside of here please? Me and my friends don't want the attention it would bring."

The three others responded with a unanimous "Of course we wont!". It was a relief to him, having such a heavy weight off of his chest. It gave him strength enough to face his mother, and to accept the guilt. Gohan sighed and moved in the bed to stand, checking to see if he had any clothes on. He was somewhat alarmed to see he was wearing a pair of boxers that didn't belong to him, blushing when he realized he'd been stripped nude at some point.

"Gohan where are you going? You shouldn't be moving!"

Lime grabbed his good arm, looking at him worried. He smiled at her weakly before standing, much to Limes and Peach's surprise, and Lime's embarrassment. The young girl hid her face and the intense blush on it, scooting closer to her mother.

"I need to get back to my mom and apologize for running from her... I just found out I'm going to be a big brother..."

Lime and her family proceeded to congratulate him, and hurried to find him some clothes to wear.

_I may not be Goku. I could never live up to that name. I'm Gohan, I'm still responsible for this, and I need to atone for my mistake. I have to be there for mom, and my sibling, because I stole their protector from them. I have to be here for the people of this planet, because I took their guardian. I have purpose now. My death would only be further punishment to those who don't deserve it, because I still have to replace that which I took. No, death is too short a punishment for me. I'll take the long road there._

**(A/N: Hah! Anyone notice how he conveniently forgot about how Goku let Freeza power up all the way to "test himself" on Namek?... For being such a smart guy, sometimes he overlooks some important things. I know it's long, but hey, once I start writing the words just flow!)**

* * *

**A/N: I remember when I first posted this, how full of angst and darkness I made Gohan's thoughts. I considered for a while removing the level of angst in these first couple chapters, but then I thought about it objectively. I tried to by empathetic towards such a situation. And then I remembered also that for all his internal debating and dwelling, he tries to come off in a much lighter tone on the outside for everyone else. So, the Angst is gonna stay, the dark thoughts are going to stay. It won't last forever, but hell, if I accidentally killed my dad, I'd probably be feeling just as dark and depressed. **


	3. Recovery

**Alrighty guys this one is more of a filler chapter than anything, but it does have some things in it that give hints towards the future. See if you can spot them all! Thanks to everyone who reviewed. To be honest i'm surprised this has gotten this much attention already! Thanks all for reading, now on to the story!**

**Chapter 3: Recovery**

Gohan dressed quickly. Mr Lao had brought him a navy blue gi from his shop, which fit his muscular frame perfectly. He pulled the top on and tied the red sash around his waist. He considered for a moment that he would have to return to Mr. Lao for his Gi's more often. He started pulling his old shoes back on and looked up to see Lime looking at him curiously.

"Hey Gohan… Why is your hair black? Your eyes too, they were green before weren't they?"

Gohan paused for a moment, considering how best to answer Lime. He wasn't sure he should tell her everything about himself yet, but she had learned a lot already. Silently making up his mind, he nodded at her.

"Yea Lime they were, but this is my normal look. I was born with black hair and eyes. Can you keep a secret? Even from your parents?"

Lime cocked an eyebrow at him, but nodded.

"Well, my dad wasn't human Lime. He was born on a planet called Vegetta, and got sent here when he was a baby. He's from a race called the Saiyans, which makes me a half, or demi-Saiyan. The form you met me in; with the blonde hair and teal eyes, is called super Saiyan. We get stronger and faster when we are in that form."

Lime's eyes shot open as far as they could, and her mouth moved to say something, but nothing came out. She stumbled a second before collapsing in a chair by the door. She furrowed her brow, considering what he had said. Gohan waited with his breath held, wondering how she would take this information.

"Well… I guess that explains the weird powers and why you've healed so quickly then huh? You're really an alien?"

Gohan sighed and nodded, relieved that Lime hadn't freaked out. He pulled his other shoe on and stood when something occurred to him.

"Hey Lime, how bad is my face? I know it got cut, I just don't want my mother freaking out. Well, freaking out more than she is already going to."

Lime looked at him worried a bit before walking past him to a dresser and pulling a mirror out of the top drawer. She held it to her chest, out of his sight, looking at him with a nervous smile.

"Mom tried to do everything she could, but the cut on your face is going to scar. It's not too big of a scar, but I don't think it'll ever go away completely."

She held out the mirror for him, and he took it hesitantly. He raised it to his face, inspecting himself in the mirror. His hair was still short, just like the day he had fought Cell. He was surprised to see his own expression, a slight frown and his brow furrowed. He wasn't consciously making the decision to frown.

_Is this how people are going to see me? No wonder everyone has been talking to me carefully, I look like Vegetta…  
_

He shook his head to rid himself of the thought, and went back to inspecting his face. The scar he was looking for was still fresh, with the skin pulled tight by multiple stitches. He poked it gingerly, watching the skin pull apart slightly to reveal that the cut itself had almost healed.

_This isn't that bad, in fact I think that Dende could remove it for me… No this one stays, I earned it. Just like my shoulder, this scar was caused by my stupidity. This one stays to remind me._

Lime stood next to him observing his expression as he looked into the mirror. She sent him a hopeful smile and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You know, on the bright side, that scar makes you look pretty awesome!"

Gohan felt the corners of his mouth twitch slightly and looked at the girl next to him. He gave in and smiled at her, the first genuine smile that he'd given in two weeks. It felt strange to him, like it didn't belong.

"Thank's Lime. Listen, I have to go, thank your family for watching me alright? I promise I'll be back around sometime. There's more I want to tell you, but it's a long story."

Lime nodded and pulled him into a hug. He paused a second before returning the hug gently. He stepped back and held her out at arm's length.

"Bye Lime, I'll see you around alright?"

He walked past her and out into the hallway, he turned and walked out the back door of the house before jumping into the sky, a white aura exploding around him. He could hear Lime yelling good-byes to him in the distance. Locking onto his mother's Ki, he sped off towards the Lookout.

***ON THE LOOKOUT***

Piccolo's eyes snapped open as he felt Gohan's weakened ki. He looked off in the direction his student was coming from before dropping from his meditative stance to the lookout. He looked over his shoulder to find Mr. Popo watering the plants with Dende.

"Guys, Gohan is coming back. I finally found his ki, and he's on his way here now. You might want to get Chi Chi."

Dende's eyes widened and he dropped the water bucket that he was holding and sprinted for the lookout building. Mr. Popo walked over to stand next to Piccolo and looked in the direction of Gohan's Ki.

"Something feels wrong Piccolo, he's weak. What happened to him? Why did he disappear like that?"

Piccolo furrowed his brow and stared at the faint light he could now see on the horizon.

"We should ask him when he gets here Popo. I'm sure that Chi Chi is going to want to know as well."

"Gohan! Where is my baby?!"

Piccolo and Popo turned to see Chi Chi sprinting out onto the lookout, frantically looking around to spot her son. Dende walked out looking a bit flustered, rubbing the back of his head tenderly.

"He's not here yet Chi Chi, just wait a moment."

She glared at Piccolo a moment before walking over to join him and Popo. Dende joined the group, standing on the opposite end from Chi Chi, sending nervous glances her direction. Piccolo noticed a slight bump on the back of his head, and guessed that the young guardian had been knocked over by Chi Chi as she tried to get past him in her search for Gohan. He smirked at the thought before turning his attention back to the now visible Gohan.

Gohan saw the group gathered on the lookout, and gulped.

_Well… Time to get this over with… Kami, I hope that they aren't too upset._

He landed and was barely able to stand fully before he was picked up and hugged tightly by his mother.

"Gohan! Sweety I was so worried about you when you didn't come back, and Piccolo said that your ki had disappeared! Don't ever leave me like that again alright?! And… Oh my Kami Gohan what happened to your face?!"

She held him out at arm's length and fussed over the new scar. He winced as she poked it and grabbed her wrist gently. He took a deep breath, trying to control the emotions that were raging within him. He looked at his mother's worried face and then to Piccolo, who was wearing his trademark scowl.

"You guy's, I'm sorry. I panicked when you told me that you were pregnant."

He looked back at his mother, whose lips were quivering as she struggled not to break out in tears.

"I just had to get away and think, and I realized that… I realized that I can't abandon you all… Especially you mother. I know I will never be able to make up for my mistake, but-"

His mother cut him off by pulling him into a bone-crushing hug.

"You listen to me now Gohan, you have nothing to be ashamed of here. Your father is gone, but it's not your fault! I don't blame you, and you shouldn't blame yourself! I don't ever hear you say that it was your fault, do you understand?"

Gohan hesitated. _But it is my fault… Fine, for your sake mother, you won't ever hear it from me._

"I understand mom."

It was silent on the lookout for a moment before a horrendously loud growl echoed across the lookout. Chi Chi started, and looked around for the source before looking at her son in surprise.

"Gohan... When was the last time you ate?!"

Gohan laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head and the tension broke. Dende and Popo laughed at the young Saiyan, and Piccolo smirked and shook his head.

***ORANGE STAR CITY HALL***

The crowd was going wild as their "Savior" strode across the stage to shake hands with the mayor. Hercule Satan smiled his toothy grin at the crowd, raising his hand to the sky in his signature victory sign. At the edge of the stage, a young girl with long raven hair and brilliant blue eyes was bouncing in her seat and clapping, cheering for her hero.

Hercule stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest, and waited with his eyes closed as the mayor took the stand in front of the podium.

"People of Orange star city! Welcome to the ceremony celebrating Mr. Satan's victory over the monster Cell! I would like to announce that in honor of our savior, and by unanimous vote, that our city shall be renamed: Satan City! Additionally the Satan Dojo will be paid for by the city from this day forward, and the Satan family shall be given a home in the heart of the city! Please, Mr. Satan, would you like to say a word to your people before we make it official?"

He turned to look at Mr. Satan, who appeared to be nervous. He glanced around at all of the cheering faces looking up at him expectantly.

_Oh, how am I going to do this? What if they're out there watching? It's not like I couldn't beat them all, but what if they reveal that I lied? _

"Go on daddy! You can do it!"

Hercule looked to the young raven haired girl and smiled at her. She was his reason for doing this. He nodded and stepped up to the podium next to the Mayor.

"People of Orange Star City! Thank you for your support, I just have a few words to give. First, I need to thank the one person who makes everything I do worth it, and is the reason that I get up every morning. My daughter Videl!"

He turned and smiled at his daughter, who was blushing furiously and trying to hide her face from the cheering crowd.

"Second, I would like to thank all of you for your faith in me. Know that your faith is not misplaced!"

The crowd cheered at his comment. Mr. Satan silently cursed, hoping that nobody in the crowd was one of the guys from the Cell games. He contemplated for a second how he should word his next comment and waited for the roar of the crowd to die down.

"And last, I would like to extend my condolences to the families of the men who were at the Cell games! They fought hard against Cell, but in the end only one could be victorious. With the mayor's permission, I would like to make this day the first Cell games memorial day!"

The crowd erupted in cheers of approval. The mayor turned to his assistant, speaking quickly and nodding his head before joining the crowd in clapping for Mr. Satan.

_There, hopefully that will keep them away from me. I just hope that this doesn't come back to haunt me in the future._

His thoughts were interrupted by Videl running over and hugging her father around the middle. He smiled and picked up his daughter, seating her on his broad shoulders before flashing the crowd his peace sign and booming laugh. The mayor took the stand again, and waved his hands to quiet the crowd.

"Now! I would like to be the first to officially announce: Welcome one and all, to Satan City!"

Everything else was drowned out by the deafening roar of the crowd as they cheered for the world savior.

***WEST CITY – CAPSULE CORPERATION***

"Remind me why we let that oaf take the credit for killing Cell?"

Bulma frowned at the television before switching it off and turning to the Z-fighters that were gathered in the room. Tien, Chiaotzu, and Yamcha were all seated on a couch across from her, Roshi was seated on the floor and Vegetta was leaning against the wall in the background with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Oolong and Puar were seated next to Bulma on the other couch in the room and Bulma was cradling her infant son in her arms. They sat in silence for a moment before surprisingly, Vegetta broke the silence.

"The brat is having enough trouble as it is with the loss of his father. We all agreed that it would be best if his identity remained hidden. That oaf is doing us a favor by stealing the spotlight."

Without a backwards glance, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving the other occupants in a stunned state. Bulma was the first to recover.

_Wow he must really be effected by Goku's death. I expected him to be furious that someone was stealing Gohan's credit. His pride normally wouldn't have allowed for even a half-saiyan's accomplishments to be swept under the rug._

Yamcha broke through her thoughts as he addressed the rest of the gang.

"Speaking of Gohan, has anyone heard from Chi Chi recently? Or from Dende? I mean, Gohan disappeared a couple days ago, and I'm sure that Chi Chi is frantic. Maybe we should head up there to check on them?"

He looked around eagerly at their faces. Roshi nodded and made to stand up.

"Bulma, I think that we should. Do you have a jet that can get us there?"

***SOMEWHERE OVER THE OCEAN BY ROSHI'S ISLAND***

Krillin hovered for a moment, his hands cupped by his side and his stance low in a deep crouch. A light blue ball hovered in his hand and his white aura was flaring around him.

"Kameeeeee… Hameeeee… HAAAAAAAA!"

The blue ball of ki expanded in his hands as he thrust it forward, palm to palm towards the ocean below. The ball shot forward and clashed with the water, causing it to part from the sheer force emitted by the energy wave. It wasn't anywhere near as powerful as what Gohan or Goku was capable of, but Krillin was proud of his abilities regardless. Now that his best friend was gone, he had to step up his game if he hoped to defend his planet.

"You know, for a human you are rather remarkable."

Krillin started and cut the flow of energy to his Kamehameha wave and looked around for the feminine voice that had spoken. Whoever it was had snuck up on him without him sensing them! He spun around and came face to face with Android 18. She had her arms crossed as she observed Krillin with a slight frown on her face.

Krillin dropped his guard and looked nervously at the young woman. Just like before, he was completely disarmed by her. He couldn't help his feelings towards her, even if she had been a terror to the planet only a short while ago.

"18, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to go into hiding with your brother?"

"Why did you do it?"

He cocked his head to the side, puzzled. What was she talking about?

"The wish you made? Of everything you could have wished for, you asked the dragon to remove the bomb that was embedded in mine and my brother's chest. Why?"

Krillin paused for a moment, wondering how he should explain what had led him to that decision. 18 waited patiently for his answer.

"Well, I figured that if you had freed yourself from your ties to Dr. Gero, that you and your brother would try to live here on this planet, and I thought you deserved a second chance to live a normal life. The dragon already said that you were human and he couldn't make you something that you already were, so I thought that it would be easier for you without that being there. I don't think it would be good if someone accidentally set it off and destroyed the planet."

_And I would feel horrible if something happened to you._

Krillin blushed at that thought and looked up hopefully at 18. She was still frowning slightly, and looking down towards the water. She seemed to be struggling with something before she looked back up at Krillin, her frown unwavering.

"To answer your question, yes I went and found 17. He is still seething that he was so outclassed by both Cell and the Piccolo. And you are right, we are still mostly human, and I do want to live a normal life. Well… As normal as mine can get."

Her expression softened and she floated closer to Krillin, who was frozen in place by her icy gaze.

"And I want to thank you, even after everything that me and 17 did, you still took pity on us. You defended me when you knew that you were outmatched, and again when your friends wanted to have me destroyed. You're remarkable to me Krillin, and I thank you."

She floated closer to him, and cupped his cheeks in her hands before pulling him closer and firmly locking her lips with his. Krillin was stunned, his eyes as wide as saucers. He panicked for a second before his expression relaxed and he returned her kiss. They held it for a moment before 18 broke the kiss and held Krillin out and away from her and looked at his content expression. She blushed lightly and a small smile cracked on her face.

_So that's what that feels like. _

Krillin cleared his throat nervously and fanned himself with his gi while trying to fight the heat in his face.

"It's was nothing 18, I only did what I felt was right."

18 crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at him. She put on her best glare and stared him down. She knew there was more to it than that, but she wanted to hear it from him herself.

"Is that so? Just hoping that a girl would track you down and give you a kiss then huh?"

Krillin gulped and looked at her wide-eyed for a second before shrugging and giving her a nervous smile.

"Okay, It wasn't nothing then… I was afraid of what would happen if you were taken away and I didn't tell you. I can't explain it, you just have this effect on me, and I can't help but want to be with you."

18's expression softened a bit and her smile returned with her blush. She didn't understand what she was feeling towards the bald monk. She had an attachment to her brother, but that was something that she had had even when she was still a normal human. Krillin was different, he confused her, and yet she found herself reciprocating his feelings. It scared her.

"I need to go for a while Krillin. I'll be back at some point I think but I need to keep 17 out of trouble and I need to think."

Krillin couldn't help but feel a bit upset at her words. He was elated that they had talked finally since she disappeared from the lookout two weeks ago, and ecstatic that she had kissed him. But he was disappointed she had to go so soon. Nevertheless he nodded his understanding and mumbled out an "Okay". 18 smirked at him and leaned forward to give him a peck on the cheek before turning and flying off into the distance.

Krillin stared after her, rubbing his cheek, lost in thought. His musings were interrupted as he felt a familiar Ki flare up in the direction of the lookout.

"Gohan! He's back!"

Krillin smiled and took off towards his friend as quickly as he could manage. He could feel the others making their way to the lookout as well.

_I hope the kid is alright now. He gave us all a scare when he disappeared like that._

***AT THE LOOKOUT***

"Hold still Gohan! Kami, you'd think that after everything you'd been through, pulling stitches would be nothing to you!"

Gohan flinched as his mother pulled another stitch out of his cheek. He had been fed and now his mother was fussing over him. Dende was keeping his distance, not wanting to come between the crazy woman and her son. He cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Excuse me Chi Chi, I can fix him up now if you want? I can have that scar healed before you know it! Besides that, I need to take a look at his shoulder."

Before Chi Chi could say anything, Gohan held his hand up towards Dende, motioning for him to stop. His eyes hardened and he frowned slightly.

"No Dende, don't heal the scar. You can work on my shoulder, but I want the one on my face to stay where it is."

He looked towards his mother, who was wearing a hard glare towards her son.

"Gohan, how do you expect to become a respectable scholar if you look like a roughed up hooligan?!"

Gohan sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, thinking about what he would do. When he opened his eyes again, Chi Chi was surprised to see them full of sorrow. He looked at her pleading for her to understand before he even opened his mouth to speak.

"Mother, this scar is more than just a mark on my face, just like the one on my shoulder. I need it, to remind me of what I failed to do. I will still keep my studies for you, but please understand that now, my priority is not studying. I have to be able to fill in my father's shoes. Please understand."

Chi Chi's heart melted at the softness and sincerity of his voice. She couldn't tell him no. She just nodded and stepped away from her son to allow Dende in to work on his shoulder. She left the room and wandered the halls, lost in thought. She held a hand over her lower stomach, deep in thought about what the future would hold.

"Hey Chi Chi! Are you alright? Gohan is here, I felt it, is he okay?"  
Chi Chi was surprised to discover that she had made her way outside onto the lookout, and Krillin had just landed next to her and was looking up at her curiously. She smiled softly at the monk, trying to put him at ease.

"Yes Krillin, we're both alright. Well I am anyways. Gohan took Goku's death much worse than I feared. He's convinced that he killed his father, and I told him something that sent him over the edge. He ran away and nearly killed himself. Dende is looking over him right now, but he should be fine."

Krillin tilted his head to the side in confusion, wondering what she could have said that would cause that sort of reaction from his friend. But before he could voice his question, a large yellow jet roared up over the edge of the lookout and set down before them, revealing the Z-gang that had been at capsule corp, minus Vegetta and Mirai Trunks, who had returned to his own time several days before.

Bulma burst out of the jet followed quickly by the other z-fighters, and rushed over to her friend, Trunks cradled in her arm giggling madly.

"Chi Chi! Are you alright? The guys said that they felt Gohan come back! What happened?"

Chi Chi took a deep breath and retold the story as best she could. She knew that Gohan had not told her everything about his time away from her, but she didn't want to press it and upset his already fragile temper. The Z-gang were all shocked by Gohan's reaction to Goku's death. None of them believed it was his fault that Goku was dead. Krillin stood there, eyes downcast as he realized that he could have also prevented it by destroying the androids before cell could become complete. He was pulled out of his thoughts when Tien voiced what he had been wondering earlier.

"But Chi Chi, what happened to actually send him over the edge like that? He was here for two weeks with these feelings, something must have happened."

Chi Chi sighed again before looking directly at Bulma. Her expression was remorseful and sad.

"I'm pregnant again. Goku left me with a child on the way, and Gohan lost it when I told him. He nearly killed Piccolo and then ran off and nearly killed himself. Like I said before, someone helped him but he was pretty roughed up. You'll just have to see when Dende is finished with him."

The gang was quiet as she spoke, each lost in their own thoughts before Bulma broke the silence by squealing and pulling Chi Chi into a strong one-armed hug.

"Chi Chi that's fantastic! Gohan is gonna have a little sibling! Oh my how far along are you?! Do you know?"

The tension broke as Chi Chi chuckled at her friend's antics.

"I don't know for certain Bulma, I'm guessing around one month though."

Bulma grinned at her and looked to the others before bouncing up and down on the spot, making Trunks squeal in delight.

"Oh we have GOT to celebrate this! The rest of the world is celebrating that goofball 'defeating cell', so we have to have something to celebrate right? I say we go back to my place!"

Chi Chi nodded and mumbled her consent. It would be good for her and Gohan to take their minds off of Goku for a while.

**Did you notice them all? Please R&amp;R, and feel free to ask questions! They make me think and get ideas floating around in my thick skull =)**


	4. Double the Burden

**Hey you guys, shorter chapter here! This is the last one that I "pre wrote" and edited. It'll be a little longer until the next one is up.**

** I just have 2 words for ya... Plot. Twist... I'll let you figure out where i'm going with this! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 4: Double the burden**

***SIX MONTHS LATER, SON RESIDENCE***

Gohan scribbled randomly on the sheet of paper in front of him, not really paying attention to the physics book laid out in front of him. There was something wrong, and he couldn't put his finger on it. His mother's pregnancy was coming along quickly, almost too quickly. Her ki was all over the place now, which made sense to him considering she was sharing with another being, but something still felt off. She had gotten bigger than he anticipated, and she was eating a lot. It wasn't necessarily that anything was going wrong with his mother, it just felt weird. His musings were interrupted by a wad of paper hitting him upside the head. He glared over at the girl who had thrown it. Lime grinned at him in an innocent manner and waved from where she sat next to a tree at the edge of his yard.

"Oh come on Gohan, I know you're not really mad! What's going on in that thick noggin of yours? You're obviously not doing any actual work there, you just drew a rather bad rendition of a cat… Why does it have a toaster pastry for a body?"

Gohan tried desperately to keep glaring at her, but he just couldn't do it. Sometimes it felt like she was the only person he could actually relax around. He chuckled and rolled his eyes before leaning back on his hands, feeling the grass poke up between his fingers.

"It's nothing Lime, I'm just worried about mom is all. Besides I already did all of this stuff a couple weeks ago so that I could get ahead in my studies. Heh, more than anything I just try to help you with yours. Though I don't know why you agreed to study under her."

Lime slumped to the side, resting her head on one of her hands and she half-heartedly glared at him.

"Why do you have to be so darn smart? You're making me look bad! And anyways you didn't answer my question… Why does that cat have a –"

"Toaster pastry body? You know I honestly have no idea… my hands kinda just do their own thing when my mind runs off like that."

With that he promptly crossed out the doodle of the cat-thing and shut his book. He sighed and looked at Lime, who was just watching him from where she sat. He really did owe her a lot. He had returned to see her only a few days after he had returned home with his mother, and explained his whole story to her. At first she was skeptical, but as time went on she seemed to accept it, and she didn't judge him for it. He was truly lucky to have a friend like her.

"I wonder what your little brother or sister is going to be like? I mean I know that Saiyans look like humans, but I can't help imagining little grey-men type things. You just don't seem like an alien."

Gohan laughed at the thought. Somehow a little skinny grey man wearing his gi and a wig popped into his mind, and he was forcefully reminded of an American TV show called 'American Dad'. He waved away the mental image and gave her the Son grin.

"You do remember that I was born with a tail right? There's a distinct possibility that my little sibling will have one as well, though I think mom might just have it cut off. It's a severe risk to leave it. I think I told you about the Oozaru transformation right?"

Lime nodded and then furrowed her brow in thought. She glanced at Gohan a moment and then stared at the grass, pulling up some leaves and braiding them together absent-mindedly.

"Hey Gohan… I've been meaning to ask you. Why did you decide to tell me all of this stuff? I mean you have your mother, and all of your other friends right? So… Why was I included?"

She blanched at the hurt look he gave her.

"N-Not that it's a bad thing, in fact I'm really happy you told me everything. I just don't know why you trust me."

He softened his glare and stared at his hands.

_They look exactly as they did that day. Nothing has changed. I still took away my father, even if my mother has started to move on. Even if she says it's not my fault, I know I'm still guilty._

"It's because… well… It's because you aren't someone who was close to my father. You're the only person I can confide in who wasn't attached to my father besides Vegetta. I couldn't face any of them without knowing that I was the cause of their grief. Vegetta is a full blooded Saiyan. According to him, he knows everything there is to know, and he isn't one to listen to a low-class half breed. You listen to me because it's me. To you I'm not the son of Goku, I'm Gohan."

"But what about your mom? Why don't you go to her ever? I've seen how you act around her, and I know that you just put on a mask for her so she doesn't worry."

_Damn she's good at this. She knows me better than I thought._

"I killed her husband and left her child without a father. All that's left is me, and I can't put any more of a burden on her than I already have."

Silence reigned in the meadow by the Son home. The light breeze picked up a slight chill in the autumn air and brought a fresh scent of fallen leaves. Gohan looked up into the afternoon sky and watched a flock of water fowl flying over.

"You know, you're her child too."

Gohan dropped his gaze from the sky to see Lime looking at him with a frown. She was worried about him and it was showing.

"Lime please, I don't want to go over this again. I may be her flesh and blood, but the moment I let her down, and dad died, was the moment I gave up the right to be her son. I love her, but I refuse to think of myself as her son, for her sake."

Lime didn't say anything in response, she just sat there staring at the grass she was braiding. She paused and held it up for Gohan to see. It was a simple ring, too small to have fit on anyone's finger, but it was beautiful. The different colors of the grass blended together to make it multi-colored.

"Gohan I know what you're feeling. I lost both of my parents when cell attacked and I remember what it felt like. But you're the closest friend I have, and you're like a brother to me. Just know that I don't care what it's about, that you can always come talk to me alright?"

She pressed the ring of grass into his palm, wrapping his hand in her two smaller ones and smiling weakly at him. He could feel his eyes burning, and fought to keep the tears back. It had been months since he'd cried, and he was determined to keep it that way. Finally, he managed to clear his throat of the lump that threatened to strangle him.

"Thank you Lime. I honestly don't know what I'd have done without you."

She smirked at him and raised an eyebrow, poking him on the left side of his forehead where the scar started.

"If I had to guess, you would have gone crazy and crashed into some more trees, huh monkey boy? I think I'm going to start calling you George."

Gohan pouted at her and rubbed the left side of his face.

"That's not very nice Lime, you know that was an accident."

Lime giggled and pushed Gohan over. He huffed and sat back up, mock-glaring at her.

"GOHAAAN! LIIIIME! DINNER!"

Gohan and lime both looked towards the Son home where Chi Chi was waving at them, her bulging belly obvious, even from this distance. Lime got to her feet and sprinted towards the house, calling over her shoulder, "Last one there has to clear the table!"

Gohan chuckled and looked at the ring in his hand. It meant a lot to him to hear Lime say that he was like a brother to her. The ring was instantly precious to him, and he decided he would make sure that it would stay as it was. Pushing some of his energy into his hand, he laced it into the fibers of the grass, causing it to glow slightly before returning to its original color. The fibers of grass had all melded together, leaving the ring in a solid band of multiple colors. He smiled and tucked it into his gi pocket before sprinting off towards the house himself.

***NEARLY TWO MONTHS LATER – CAPSULE CORP***

Bulma got up from her bed, grumbling about being disturbed in the middle of the night. Who in their right mind would be ringing her bell at this time? She glanced at her husband as he slept quietly. He had changed a lot since the incident with the androids. He had even agreed to be married by human standards. She smiled lightly at the thought, before she noticed the clock next to him that said it was two in the morning.

She cursed quietly before putting on a robe and walking to intercom in the hall by the front door. Lightning flashed outside as a winter storm raged outside. It wasn't nearly cold enough to snow here, but she could hear rain hammering onto the domed roof of her home. She pressed the external camera view and almost screamed in shock when she saw Gohan standing there frantically trying to protect his mother from the elements and keep her on her feet.

"Oh my Kami Chi Chi! VEGETTA GET OUT HERE!"

She opened the door and rushed out to her best friend's side, ignoring the rain that came pounding down onto her head. She grabbed her arm and slung it over her shoulder before dragging her to the building. Vegetta appeared in the doorway, his expression cold and serious.

"Brat! What the hell is wrong with the harpy?"

Gohan clenched his teeth at his choice of words but decided to let it slide until later. He helped Bulma get his mother into the building before Vegetta halted them both and picked Chi Chi up bridal style, motioning for Bulma to lead the way. Gohan followed, stunned by the older Saiyan's actions.

"I don't know what happened! Her ki went nuts and then plummeted while she was sleeping! She woke up for a little while but she's so weak now, and I don't know what's causing it!"

Vegetta grunted and followed Bulma into the medical wing of the building, dropping her onto one of the beds before moving to a position by the door to observe what was happening.

Bulma quickly got to work, checking her friends pulse and temperature. She quickly hooked her up to an IV and put an oxygen mask on her face. She drew blood from her other arm and pushed the vial into a machine across the room, and patiently waited while the results started to flash across the screen. Gohan sat next to his mother's bed, staring at her in fear. He knew he should have said something sooner about the fluctuations in her ki. Just another lapse in judgement, just like with Cell. He cursed himself for once again failing his mother.

"What in the world? Gohan has your mother been eating anything?"

Gohan started at the question, and stared at Bulma in disbelief. His mother had been eating way more than normal. He began to wonder if maybe she had eaten a poison or something. Instantly he began to panic as he thought about the child she was carrying.

"Yea, she's been eating way more than she normally does. Why, do you think that something she ate is doing this?"

Bulma rubbed the bridge of her nose and clenched her eyes while she thought. She sighed and dropped her hand to her lap, looking at her friend with concern.

"No, it's not something she ate. It's more something she _didn't_ eat. She's being nutrient starved and her body has started to shut down on her. Are you positive that she-"

"Dammit woman! Check the child! You know we Saiyans have extreme appetites, and if the harpy has been eating then that means it all has to be going somewhere!"

Bulma and Gohan glared at Vegetta and growled out, "She's not a harpy!" But Bulma conceded his point, and pulled out an ultrasound-like device that allowed her to see inside someone's body. She held the baton-like scanner over Chi Chi's swollen belly, passing it over multiple times until the machine beeped at her to tell her it was done. She returned the baton to its carriage and typed on the computer for a moment, and with a final click of the enter key, a picture emerged on the screen. She gasped and looked at Gohan, who felt himself pale. Bulma's jaw was still slack as she grabbed the edge of the screen and turned it towards him. There, clear as day, was a clear outline of not one, but two children curled up in the fetal position.

***THE NEXT MORNING***

_Twins! This is just fucking fantastic! I should have been able to tell that she was carrying twins! Dimmit Gohan, you really screwed this all up. You've left not one, but _two _children without a father! Gah why did I have to be so stupid?!_

Gohan pushed himself off the floor of the Gravity room for his thousandth pushup. He stood and shuffled to the control console and pushed the gravity up from X450 to X500. The extra weight dragged on him and he sunk to his knees. He furrowed his brow and pushed himself back up, reveling in the burning sensation in his legs. He took a stance and began a kata that Piccolo had taught him when he was younger.

His shoulder ached in protest to the movements, but he was no longer hindered by the injury. He flowed through the kata, grumbling to himself and refusing to transform to make it easier on himself. As he finished, he glanced at the clock on the console. 10 in the morning. Bulma had said she would take care of Chi Chi, but he was getting more and more worried by the minute. As if on cue, the door to the GR opened, and the gravity cut out. Gohan straightened himself out and turned towards the door as Vegetta stepped in and shut the door behind him. He was still in his night wear, which included only a pair of spandex shorts. He leaned up against the wall and crossed his arms, glaring at Gohan intently.

"Your mother is fine brat. The woman got her hooked up to a machine that is feeding her the necessary nutrients. She's close to giving birth already though, so she'll be staying here until then."

Gohan nodded and crossed his arms as well. He returned the prince's glare, waiting for him to say something else. When he didn't he returned to the console and began inputting the commands to raise the gravity.

"I know what you're dealing with brat."

Gohan glanced over at Vegetta, startled at the softness of the statement. This was only the second time he had spoken to him in that tone, the first being when he had apologized during the Cell games.

"When Freeza took our planet, and my father with it, I felt like it was my fault. I felt that the destruction of our race suddenly fell on my shoulders, even though at the time, I was only a toddler. Your situation is different I know, but take it from someone who has been there, do not let it eat away at you. You remember how I was when I first arrived here. Do not make my mistake."

With that, he turned and left the gravity room leaving Gohan to consider his words in silence.

***TWO WEEKS LATER***

"Hang in there mom! We're almost done!"

Gohan winced as his mother gripped his hand as tight as she could. On the opposite side of the bed, Grandpa Ox winced in a similar fashion as his daughter tried to crush the life out of his hand. She wailed as another contraction racked her body. At the end of the bed, Bulma was trying to coach her best friend. She was wearing a surgical mask and gloves, and was giving out orders to her two medical staff personnel who had helped her deliver Trunks.

"Come on Chi Chi, just give a push, the first one is right there!"

Gohan could only watch as his mother's eyes grew wide and she screamed. He was beginning to realize why Vegetta referred to her as a banshee sometimes. The assault on his ears was met with a new sound: that of a baby's cough and then crying. Bulma quickly cut the cord and handed the child to one of her medical staff who rushed to wash the crying child, which already had a full head of hair, and a long brown tail that was flailing about.

_So they do have tails._

Chi Chi panted quietly for a moment, her grip on her father's and son's hands softening for a moment before another contraction shook her body and she screamed again. Her cries continued on until once again the sound was broken by the cough and cries of a child.

Bulma rushed to the wash station and began working immediately on the child. Gohan returned his attention to his mother, who was panting and sweating. Her grip had gone and now she was struggling to stay awake. The Ox King patted her shoulder affectionately and flexed his hand that had been crushed.

"You did well Chi Chi."

She just panted and nodded her head. Bulma and her assistant both appeared at the bedside each with a bundle in their arms. Gohan was startled to see one of them; the one wrapped in a blue blanket. His hair stood on end in a very familiar pattern, and he was crying his eyes out. Gohan paled and stood. He was frozen in place as he looked upon his little brother for the first time.

_Oh Kami, he looks just like dad. How will I ever be able to live with that on my conscience?_

The other child had messy looking black hair, not unlike Gohan's when he was younger. She was wrapped in a pink blanket, and was quiet as could be. She seemed to be sound asleep. Both of the children's tails were hanging loosely from the bundles they sprouted from. The assistant leaned over the bed and passed the little boy over into Chi-Chi's waiting arms. She smiled down at the child, and almost started crying when she realized how much he looked like his father. She looked up at Bulma, and made room for the second child in her arms. Bulma leaned in and settled the girl in Chi Chi's grasp, and took a seat near all the equipment to catch her breath.

"What are you going to name them sweety?"

Chi Chi looked up at her father, then back down to the children in her arms. The little boy had stopped crying, and had his tail wrapped firmly around his mother's arm. She looked thoughtful for a moment before looking at Gohan. His expression was fearful, and Chi Chi knew what he was thinking.

_He saw how much his brother looks like Goku. I know he's still beating himself up over what happened. I hope this works._

"Gohan, I want you to meet your little brother, Goten, and your little sister, Ria."

Gohan looked apprehensively at the bundles for a moment before stepping forward as his mother offered the little girl in her right arm to him. He hesitated for a moment before extending his hands the rest of the way and taking his little sister into his arms. Almost instantly, the girl's tail found its way to his wrist and wrapped itself around his arm tightly. As he cradled the girl in his arms, he felt a wall inside himself crack, and instantly his eyes began to water.

"Hey there Ria."

He moved a stray hair from her face, tracing his finger over her incredibly soft skin. The bundle instantly shifted, and the girl grabbed onto his finger with a deathgrip that would put his mothers to shame. He smiled at the girl, the first genuine smile his mother had seen in several months. She shifted the other bundle in her arms, getting Gohan's attention, and then passed the other child into his grasp as well.

Like his sister, Goten instantly wrapped his tail around his older brother's arm. Gohan looked between the two of them, and his smile wavered as guilt crashed in on him. The emotional wall he had so carefully constructed came tumbling down and he broke down into tears. He looked up at his mother watching him carefully. She looked so hopeful, so fragile. He made up his mind.

He leaned in close to his little siblings and whispered to them, so that only they could hear.

"No matter what, I will protect you. I failed you once already, but never again. I can't be your father, but I will make sure that you grow up without the need to fight. You will get the childhood I never had. I love you both."

He gently kissed them both on the forehead and stood to pass them back to his mother before turning and leaving the room to compose himself.

Ox watched the interaction and sighed heavily.

"He just hasn't been the same since Goku. What do you think he said Chi Chi?"

Chi Chi frowned and looked at the door her oldest son had just walked through. She didn't answer him, just contemplated the events she just witnessed.

_I know he's still tormenting himself in there. Still, he finally opened up when he held his brother and sister. I may not be able to get him to open up to me anymore, but now he has these two. Maybe there is still hope to save what's left of him._

She smiled slightly at the thought and cradled the two children In her arms closer.

**A/N: Who saw that one coming? I always wondered what it would be like if Gohan had a sister instead of a brother. I realize that I probably wouldn't be able to get rid of Goten so I decided, this is my fanfic right? Why not both?!**


	5. The Legend Returns

**OOPS... Sorry about that one guys, I guess I didn't save the chapter before I published it. Anywhats here we go! fully updated!  
**

**I read all of your reviews and i'm taking into consideration everything that you guys say! I may or may not use it, after all I have my own bit of the story to contribute no? Anywhats keep them coming, it's great to see it from another perspective. On to the story!**

**CHAPTER 5: The Legend Returns**

** *FOUR YEARS LATER – SATAN RESIDENCE***

Hercule walked into his mansion, shoulders slumped and a tired expression on his face. He had just barely managed to shut the doors on the reporters gathering outside, trying to get the newest scoop on his trip out of country. This trip had not gone as planned. Sure the schedule had been followed, and his press conferences were executed on time, but something went wrong.

** ~~~FLASHBACK~~~**

Hercule marched up to the podium confidently, his usual smirk on his face as the people in the crowd cheered him on. He had been living the high life for the last few years, and his daughter was thriving at home. He took the podium and motioned for the press to begin asking questions.

"Mr. Satan, it's been more than four years since the Cell games, and the world still wants to know: How did you do it? We've all seen the footage of those men using 'light tricks and explosives' as you called them, but you only went in with your fists! How did you do manage to kill a being who resorted to such methods?"

"Superior fighting ability my good man! I'm afraid that I cannot tell you the exact events, as it would reveal too much about my fighting abilities to potential enemies. Next question!"

The crowd babbled loudly as everyone tried to get the upper hand and ask their question. Finally, a short blonde woman stood in front of the crowd and made herself heard.

"Mr. Satan, it's been brought to the world's attention that your daughter, Videl, has been training in your dojo, and is rumored to be one of the best fighters there! Can you give us any more information?"

Hercule beamed with pride at how well his daughter had progressed. It was true, his daughter was by far the best fighter at his dojo, and she was beginning to become a woman. It was often difficult to keep the boys away from her. She took after her mother's looks after all.

"Yes, Videl is one of my most dedicated student's there-"

"Sir do you know about her rumored romance within the dojo? Word is that she has caught the attention of several of your students. Without the guidance of her mother and with you on tour all the time, is there a possibility that she may be romantically involved?"

Hercule was raging in his head. _There had better not be any 'romantic involvement' with my daughter. She's too young! I swear if any of those runts hurt her…__  
_

"There will be no such thing without my consent! Let this message go out to all the men who would make advances on my little girl: If you want to be with her, then you will have to be able to beat me in a fight! That is the _only _way that you will be able to take better care of her than I can!"

The mob of reporters chattered away animatedly at the champ's declaration. He crossed his arms and nodded with a finality. The same blonde reporter as before spoke up again.

"One last question from me Mr. Satan. How has Videl been able to advance so well in your dojo at her age? Have you been telling her the stories of how you beat Cell? Does she know your secret?"

** ~~~End Flashback~~~**

The reporter didn't really ask a difficult question, but it had made his stomach drop through the ground. He'd gotten so comfortable in his lie that he had failed to tell his own daughter, the last bit he had left of his wife, that her livelihood was all funded by a lie. She went through her days as happy as any child could, and it was all a lie. He had waved off the question, stating again that it he wouldn't give up the information to potential enemies, but the damage was done. Guilt had ate away at him constantly for the last couple days since the interview.

He had to tell her. If nothing else, she needed to know the truth, lest she find out on her own. He would just have to beg her forgiveness and explain that it was all for her.

The subject of his thoughts appeared at the top of the stairs in the main hall, her black hair flowing free down her back as she had just gotten out of the shower.

_She really does look just like her mother._

"Hey daddy! Guess what? I sparred Sharpener today, and managed to ring him out in three minutes!"

He tried his best to smile up at her as she bound down the stairs two at a time before hugging him around his middle. She noticed that something was wrong as she looked up into her hero's troubled expression.

"Daddy what's wrong?"

Hercule sighed and closed his eyes. He waited a moment to calm his nerves and opened his eyes to look at his daughter.

"We need to have a talk sweet pea…"

She furrowed her brow and scowled.

"Dad, if this is about that whole boy thing that lady mentioned the other day, I can assure you it's not true."

The corners of his lips twitched at her seriousness, but another pang of guilt hit him, and he shook his head slightly.

"No sweet pea, it's not about that. Come with me, I need to tell you something."

***10 MINUTES LATER***

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was livid, and more than a little bit hurt. She was devastated. She stared at the man who she had considered her hero, who couldn't even manage to look her in the eye. Instead he was choosing to inspect his hands clasped in front of him as he sat on the couch.

"Y-You can't be serious. How can that be true, you had to have killed Cell! Everyone, the whole world! Everyone believes it!"

The cold that had started to form around the pit of her stomach exploded into a hollow emptiness when he looked at her finally. His expression said it all. Five years of guilt poured out of her father in that one moment, and she knew it was all true. Her hands went numb, and she felt a new emotion grip her that she couldn't identify.

'That my dear Videl, is shame. You've been living off of other people for the last five years because they believed your father's lie. A lie that you have bragged about since that day.'

_Shut up! I don't need a voice in the back of my head telling me these things! I don't want to hear it!_

'Ah but Videl, you need to hear it. You need to feel the shame. You've taken from the people what isn't yours, with no remorse. What would they think if they knew?'

_GET OUT OF MY HEAD!_

'It's as much my head as your own. Remember, I'm you.'

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Her temper snapped, and she stepped forward, slapping her father across the face hard. She balled her hands into fists and pressed them against the sides of her head and clenched her eyes shut against the tears that threatened to overwhelm her. Mr. Satan just looked at his daughter in shock. He had expected her to be upset, but he hadn't counted on this.

"How could you do this?! How could you lie to the people of this city like that? How could you lie to _me_? How could you let me just live my life, taking from these people, knowing that we didn't deserve it?"

"Videl, please I just wanted the best for you. When the games ended and nobody was left except for me and the tall green guy, he told me to take the credit. When the time came, I just did what I could to make sure that you would be happy!"

"For me?! Who gave you the right to make that decision for me?! I've lived off of the people of this city for almost five years, and I thought that we had earned it! You were my hero, and I looked to you for everything! You lied to me!"

Now the tears were flowing freely as she glared at her father. Something that until this day, she never thought she could do. She could feel her own guilt and shame beginning to overwhelm her, and bolted for the door. Without sparing a backwards glance at her father, she sprinted to her room and locked the door behind her before collapsing on her bed, clutching the pillow to her chest. She let the tears come, there was no point in stopping it now. Sobs racked her body as she dwelt on the lie that was her life.

***MEANWHILE AT THE SON RESIDENCE***

Gohan looked at himself in the mirror. He traced the thin scar that adorned his face from his forehead to his left cheek. It wasn't nearly as noticeable as it was when he was younger, and his features more closely resembled a man's now. He was nearly sixteen, and he had just gone through a major growth-spurt. He was already a bit taller than his mother, and he still had a long ways to go before he was done. His chest and arms began to fill out more, and his jaw-line became more defined. He had begun to cut his hair a bit shorter, and it began to stand on its own, seeming to defy gravity. But despite all these changes, one thing remained the same: His eyes. His eyes had never really regained the light they used to carry. They were haunted, as much a scar as the one on his face, and the one stretched across his left shoulder and arm.

It had been nearly five years since the Cell games. He had a little brother and a little sister whom he would give up everything for. The two now tail-less demi-saiyans were each a bundle of endless energy, and when they got together with Trunks, all hell would break loose. He had Lime, who had never once in their years of being friends considered him to be anything but a brother. He gently fingered the ring hanging around his neck by a leather cord, reminiscing the day that he had gotten it from her. He wanted them all to be happy, and he did his best to make it so every day. All of the Z fighters looked at him with respect and wonder for the young man he had become. Something he felt that he still hadn't earned.

He was interrupted by a loud knocking on the bathroom door.

"Big brother hurry up! I wanna go out and play and Ria is being all boring!"

He quickly tucked away the ring beneath his red undershirt before opening the bathroom door. Instantly, tiny four year old form of Goten bolted into the room and clutched onto his older brothers leg. His mother had him dressed in a traditional blue shirt and trousers, and his hair stuck out in all directions much like his fathers. He grinned up at his idol causing Gohan to chuckle at the boy's antics. He reached down and picked up his younger brother, hefting him up to sit behind his head on his shoulders.

"Hey squirt, be nice to your sister! You know how she gets when she's angry, and we don't want to see her get angry do we?"

Goten pouted and rested his chin on his older brothers head, looking at him through the mirror with the biggest puppy dog eyes he could manage.

"But Gohaaan! She's being so _boring_! She's just downstairs playing with her silly dolls!"

Gohan chuckled at his adorable whininess and turned to leave the bathroom, ducking slightly so that he didn't hit his brothers head on the doorframe, damaging it again.

"Well we can't have any of that now can we squirt? Alright where is she? I'll go out and play with you guys"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than his little sister appeared out of nowhere as a bright orange and black blur and crashed into his stomach. He doubled over and fell on his rear, Goten spilling off his shoulders and laying there in a dazed state. Gohan looked down at his sister wearing an Orange kimono and black pants designed like the one their mother wore all the time. She was grinning from ear to ear as she bounced happily on his chest in anticipation, her smoothed out hair bouncing around her shoulders.

"Gohan-are-you-really-gonna-play-with-us-it's-been-forever-since-you-played-this-is-gonna-be-so-awesome-can-we-call-Icarus-I-wanna-fly –again-those-dolls-are-cool-but-"

"Whoa there runt! Take a breath for Kami's sake! And I played with you guys yesterday!"

She was about to respond when she was suddenly tackled by Goten and went rolling across the floor with him in an orange and blue blur. Before they could really get into it, he grabbed them each by the collar and held them up at eye level. He chuckled as they both looked at him with a hurt expression.

"Let's take this outside squirts, we don't want mom to break out the pan now do we?"

Both of the children blanched and cringed before breaking free of his grasp and bolting for the front door, screaming incoherently about "not wanting Mr. Pan". Gohan watched them leave a moment before smiling to himself and following. He heard a soft chuckle and stopped as his mother leaned up against the kitchen door-frame leading to the common area.

"Thank you sweety, I don't know how much longer I could take having to play 'dress-up barbie' with Ria."

Gohan paused a moment, gazing at his mother. She was happier this last year than at any point since the twins were born. He wondered how she managed to be so happy now. Granted, he had been able to move past the pain of losing his father, at least to everyone elses knowledge. He still struggled with himself, and he only truly felt happy around his little siblings and Lime, but his mother seemed to have completely recovered. If Gohan hadn't known better, she would appear to have still been happily living with Goku.

Emptying his head of those thoughts, he gave her a weak lopsided smile and nodded. He waved to her as he left and chased after his two younger sibllings.

Chi Chi sighed and went back to cooking, her thoughts straying to her oldest son and the relationship he had with the twins. They idolized him, and looked to him for everything, just as Gohan himself had done with Goku as a young child. She sighed again and looked out the window to see the twins tackle him again.

_Oh Goku, I wish you could be here to see your children. You would be so proud of Gohan now; he's turned out to be such a fine young man. The way he behaves with the twins, you'd think he was their father. I just wish he would let more people into his life. He misses you. I miss you. Wherever you are, I hope you are watching over us._

***OUTSIDE***

Gohan struggled to get a hold of the twins as the climbed all over him, doing their best to keep him pinned to the ground. He managed to grab a hold of Goten and thrust his arm upward tossing him into the air. Ria paused her assault on Gohan's legs to watch her twin disappear, his laughter fading into the distance until she couldn't see him anymore. She turned her wide eyes to her older brother as he smirked up at the sky.

"Wow big brother! That's even higher than last time!"

She turned her eyes back to the sky as Gohan stood up with her still attached to his left leg. They stood there for a little while until she let go of Gohan's leg and stood in front of him, hands on her hips and what she thought was an intimidating scowl on her face. In reality it was just a pout.

"Gohan, why don't you ever throw _me_ that high?"

Gohan just chuckled and returned his eyes to the sky. Soon enough faint laughter could be heard and Goten burst back through a cloud as he descended towards the earth. Gohan simply reached out as he descended and caught the squirming four year old as he tried to control his laughter.

"Come on squirts, what do you say we go for a little flight?"

Both children's eyes lit up at the mention of their favorite thing to do with their older and started to babble excitedly. Gohan smiled and dropped Goten next to his sister, and turned his back to them, inhaling deeply.

"NIIIMBUUUS! ICARUUUUS!"

His calls echoed over the landscape for miles before fading into the distance. He turned back to the twins, who were covering their ears with a dazed expression. In an identical fashion, they shook their heads and glared at Gohan, crossing their little arms in front of their chests. Gohan almost burst out laughing at the looks they were giving him.

Before they could say a word, Gohan disappeared in a light purple flash. The twins stared at the spot where their brother had been standing a moment before, trying to figure out what had happened. "Icarus cut it out! Hahaha come on boy get off me!"

Goten and Ria turned to where the laughter was coming from and saw that Gohan was pinned underneath the dragon, and was getting licked all over. Icarus had grown a considerable amount over the years, and was now large enough to pick up a car. He had slimmed out, his neck and tail growing much longer, and his wings expanding to catch up with the rest of his body. He looked like a proper dragon now, but he still acted like a puppy.

The twins giggled and jumped on Icarus in an attempt to "save" their trapped brother. The dragon reluctantly got up to try and capture the two children that were scrambling to stay out of the dragons reach. The nimbus dropped out of the sky an hovered next to where Gohan lay, trying to catch his breath. He got up and dusted himself off and smiled at the three.

"Go ahead and get settled in up there you two!"

The children stopped tickling the dragon's belly and scrambled up his rough hide to his back. They sat there bouncing and giggling as they waited to leave. Gohan turned and hopped on the golden cloud waiting patiently for him, and looked around trying to think of where they should go.

"Wait gohan!"

Gohan spun on the cloud and looked towards the Son home. Lime was waving at him from the front of the house. He smiled and returned the wave, beckoning her to join them. She sprinted towards them and stopped next to the nimbus trying to catch her breath. She no longer wore her hair in the braided pigtails, instead choosing to just tie it back in a lazy ponytail. She had grown considerably, but still was dwarfed by Gohan. She was a full year younger than him, and only came up to his chest. She was wearing a loose pair of jeans and a button up shirt.

"Hey guys! Where are you going?"

She looked around at the four of them, her emerald eyes sparkling with excitement. The children and Icarus looked at Gohan expectantly, who just gave them all a smirk before offering his hand to Lime.

"I think, that we will just have to go exploring."

"In other words monkey boy, you have no idea."

She smirked at him as he stuck his tongue out at her. Before she knew what was going on she was being dragged up onto the cloud with a small "eep!". She clutched onto Gohan's arm as the cloud zoomed off into the sky, leaving the forest behind them in a blur. Lime slowly opened up her eyes to glare at him only to see him giving her the son grin.

"JERK!"

***UNKNOWN PLACE***

A child's laugh echoed through the dark cave, mixing with the sound of moisture dropping from the ceiling. A moment later silence reigned once again.

"_NIIIMBUUUS! ICARUUUUS!"_

The calls echoed even louder through the cave than the child's laughter. A moment later, silence reigned supreme once again, only to be shattered as the floor of the cave erupted in a flash of golden light, revealing an arm that was clenched in a fist.

***ON THE LOOKOUT***

Piccolo sat in silence. Behind him, Popo was running about watering the plants in the garden like normal, and Dende was standing at the edge of the lookout, observing the world below him. It had truly been peaceful the last few years. Only the normal natural disasters and petty human crime had ever come to the attention of the young guardian, and Piccolo had devoted lots of time to meditation between sparring sessions with Gohan. The former guardian felt his student's ki leave the Son home with his two younger siblings in tow, and resumed his meditation, making a mental note of where they were going.

He was only in meditation for a few moments when his eyes snapped open and he gasped.

_There's no way! He shouldn't even be alive! What is _he_ doing here?!_

He glanced over at Dende, who was staring off into the distance, his eyes wide as he felt the ki that Piccolo had, confirming his suspicion. Piccolo shot up and looked around, identifying where the ki was coming from.

_Oh no… _

"GOHAN!"

***SOMEWHERE IN THE MOUNTAINS***

Gohan laughed and poked lime in the side, making her squeal and jump before grabbing onto his arm so that she didn't fall off.

"Gohan that's not funny! What if I fell o-"

"KAKAROTT!"

Gohan didn't have time to react as the glowing green ball of ki struck him in the side of the head, throwing him off of nimbus and tumbling towards the ground, dragging Lime with him. She screamed as she fell off the side of the cloud still clutching onto his arm.

"Big brother!"

The twins could only watch as Gohan fell, unconscious with Lime still clinging to him for dear life. Suddenly, Icarus tilted forward as he dived after Gohan and Lime, trying in vain to catch them before they hit the ground.

Gohan came to mere moments before the ground came up to meet them. His confused look changed to one of panic as he realized what was happening, and he pulled Lime into his embrace and attempted to slow their descent. He managed to thrust his ki downwards enough to slow them before he hit the ground, Lime still cradled against him as he slid across the slope of a mountain. He felt his shirt tear off completely and his pants get pulled apart below the knees. Finally he skidded to a stop, leaving a trench in the ground behind him.

Icarus dropped to the ground rapidly, landing next to the fallen teenagers. Immediately, Goten and Ria jumped off his back and ran to their brother. Lime was quaking in his grasp but was otherwise unharmed, while Gohan had fallen unconscious again. The twins turned to his assailant and took up the fighting stances that Gohan had taught them. Lime began shaking Gohan violently, trying to wake him up, and Icarus stood in front of them all, his teeth bared and his wings flared up in an attempt to shield the children from the man who had assaulted Gohan.

Goten glanced back at his brother and jumped forward, landing on Icarus' back to see his opponent. The man before him just stood there glaring at the young Saiyan. His hair was golden and spiky, shooting off in every direction. His teal colored eyes burned with the fires of hell itself. He was only clothed in a pair of baggy white pants and a red cape that hung around his waist. His well-muscled form was marred by a large red scar that covered him from mid-chest to his abs.

"Hey you jerk! What did you do that for?!"

The scowled at the young saiyan, barring his teeth at him and growling. He began to mumble something, getting louder as his hands balled into fists and his arms began to quake.

"-karott… Kakarott… KAKAROTT!"

The man let out an enraged scream and burst forward, and faster than Goten could comprehend, back-handed the young demi across the face, sending him flying off of Icarus and crashing into the mountain-side.

"Goten no!"

Ria balled her fists and prepared herself to rush the 'poopy head' as she had dubbed him in her mind, but was cut off by a deafening roar emitting from the throat of Icarus. The dragon reared up on his hind legs and threw his head forward, opening his maw and releasing an energy blast towards the man. She took the temporary distraction to dash to her twin's side, and nearly started crying out in panic when he wasn't moving. She shook him, wiping the blood from his face that trickled down from his hairline.

"Goten wake up! We need to help Gohan and Lime!"

She turned to check on her older brother and was surprised to find herself staring into a sea of white flapping in front of her face. She stared at it blankly for a moment, trying to figure out what it was.

"Ria, get Goten and Lime, and get the hell out of here."

The harsh voice shook her out of her shock and she looked up to see Piccolo standing before her, facing the poopy head.

"What about Gohan?!"

"Just do what I say!"

He pulled the turban from his head and dropped it at his side, sending up a cloud of dust and began pulling the cape over his shoulders. Not needing to be told twice, she turned and called for nimbus before grabbing her brother by the back of his shirt and dragging him towards the cloud. Piccolo finished pulling off his weighted clothes and stared down at his opponent as he swatted Icarus to the side, nearly landing him on top of Gohan and Lime.

"Broly! How did you survive?"

Broly turned his attention to the newcomer and gritted his teeth.

"K-Kakarott!"

He noticed Ria tossing the mini-Goku onto the cloud and narrowed his eyes. Piccolo traced his line of sight with his own and powered up.

"Ria hurry up and get out of here! He's after Goten!"

Seemingly on que, the super saiyan let out a roar and shot forward. Piccolo jumped in front of him, throwing his weight behind his fist as it connected with Broly's jaw. There was a large snap and Broly flew in the opposite direction, crashing into a tree as he flew. Piccolo rushed forward to keep up what little advantage he had and shouted at the young demi as she flew the cloud to where Lime was sitting.

"Go! I'll hold him off! Find Vegetta, tell him what happened!"

Piccolo began throwing everything he had at the super saiyan, who simply crossed his arms in front of his face and took it. He watched from in-between his hands as the yellow cloud shot off into the sky, carrying his query. He let loose a war cry and shot his hands out, trapping the namekians within his own. He jerked hard with his left arm, and a sickening pop and tear could be heard as Piccolo's right arm came free of its socket in his shoulder and was torn clean off. The former guardian screamed in pain before Broly brought the now-severed arm back behind his head and swung it forward like a club to crash into the side of Piccolo's head.

The Namekian shot off in the direction of the swing in a dazed state, trailing dark red, nearly purple blood. He crashed to the ground in a heap, clutching his side as he tried to overcome the pain. He gasped when he saw Broly float into the air, a green bubble shield forming around him. Broly held out his hand and the shield collapsed into it, forming a small ball of ki. He growled and furrowed his brow as more energy pumped into it. Broly turned his gaze away from the fallen Namekian and set his sights on the retreating cloud. Piccolo felt a weight drop in his stomach and his eyes widened in panic.

"RIA WATCH OUT BEHIND YOU!"

Ria turned on the cloud to see what was going on and paled when she saw Broly pull his arm back and throw the blast at her. It pulled closer and closer, arcing through the air gracefully before making contact with the cloud and exploding. Lime hugged the girl close to her and together they screamed in pain before blackness closed in around them.

**A/N: DUN-DUN-DUUUNNNN! CLIFFY! Sorry guys I couldn't resist =P. And no, sorry Videl and Gohan don't meet yet! And don't worry if you feel like I skipped something with Videl and Hercule, You're not wrong! I just wanted to leave that hanging out there so you can wonder until I put up the rest of it later (Muahuahahahaha!). Stay tuned, next chapter should be up soon!  
**


	6. Like a caged beast

**Hey guys! Sorry for the delay getting this up, work got a little hectic there for a while. But anyways, thanks for all of the reviews, I just want to shout out to a couple of people real quick!**

**Dyton – You've written a review so far for every one of my chapters and I'm loving the input! I hope that the rest of the story is as good for you as it has been for me.**

**Kurama FTW – Thanks for the feedback, I didn't realize that Vegeta was only spelled with one t, it's been a little while since I last watched the show. I SHALL FIX IT! (please let me know if there are any other errors I make)**

**Additionally I would like to address a couple of things about the story (and really the DBZ universe in general) that some people have been questioning (not a bad thing, it makes me think about why I write what I do):**

**In regards to the guest review that called out Gohan's shoulder being scarred… One thing I feel like was over-used in the show was the unlimited restorative capabilities of the senzu beans and Dende's healing powers. I felt it was always… well too OP to be honest, because it brought the fighters back to 100% regardless of the injury. I felt like Dende's powers should be limited by his skill and knowledge of ki manipulation, and that the senzu's should be limited by their potency (think alcohol: The stronger the drink, the bigger the effect) and by the time they had any senzu ready that could tackle that injury, it was already healed (to where it is now). Besides the vast majority of things that happen in this story will play a part later, including the scar.**

**All the people who consider my reason for Goku staying dead is not good enough (If there's one that says it there's bound to be more who think it): Don't take everything that I write at face value, there's more to the story than that! That's all I have to say =P**

**Alright sorry about the rant, I just had to get it out there since I didn't make that clear in the story! Now, everyone on to the story! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 6: Like a caged beast**

Gohan's senses slowly began to come back under his control. First was his sight. His eyes groggily opened to take in a sea of blue. As his vision sharpened, he realized he was looking up at a sparsely clouded sky.

Then came his hearing. A faint ringing was echoing through his skull and he began hearing the sounds of screams. The ringing faded and he heard it clearly now. It was a man's scream, a very familiar one to. It was laced with pain.

_Pain._

Then it hit him full force. His back felt like it had been burned, and the side of his head felt as if it had been plowed over by a steamroller at the speed of sound. He grimaced and shut his eyes against the pain emanating from behind his eyes and tried to push himself up. His head spun and when he opened his eyes he was greeted with the most bizarre scene.

He was stripped of most of his clothes, only his shoes and a portion of his pants remaining. There was a trench stretching out from his feet for a good twenty feet.

_What the fuck?..._

Before he could make head or tail of what he was seeing, his sight was graced by Piccolo flying backwards and hitting the ground hard. Gohan was sickened to see that his old mentor was missing an arm and trailing blood. He watched in a state of shock as Piccolo tried to push himself up and grimaced. He was so confused, and nothing seemed to make sense. His vision blurred a couple times and he had a strange twitch pulling at his eye, like there was something he was missing just out of sight, but he couldn't figure out what.

Piccolo's eyes widened and he gasped and his gaze shifted upwards to the sky.

"RIA LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!"

Gohan groggily turned his head to see what was going on and suddenly, all of his senses seemed to snap into place. There, standing in front of him was the legendary super saiyan himself. His senses suddenly recognized his ki and everything suddenly seemed sharp. He watched the super saiyan draw his arm back, ball of ki in it, and launch it towards a bright golden cloud that was retreating into the distance.

Time seemed to slow down to an impossibly slow rate as Gohan watched the blast curve upwards towards the nimbus. He saw as it impacted the cloud and the flash from the explosion blinded him. He heard the screams of his sister, and the screams of Lime, and ice shot through his veins.

His aura burst up around him, flashing white as he shot towards the cloud of smoke in the sky. He was focusing, trying hard to find the three smaller ki he so desperately needed to feel. He sped up even faster when he couldn't. As he neared, three forms fell out of the smoke, one after the other. He turned and gave chase to the nearest, grabbing his sister around the waist and slinging her under his arm before shooting towards then next one. He caught Goten and cradled him close to his chest with his free arm before turning to look for Lime.

He was surprised to find that she was already being held in the arms of the last person he expected.

"Vegeta?! What are you-? How did you know to be here?"

The prince sneered at the young demi and began to drop to the ground.

"I felt Broly from West City, and then the Namek gave chase. I couldn't resist the chance to go at him again."

He unceremoniously dropped Lime as he landed and immediately transforming to super saiyan.

"Deal with the Brats, I'll take the over-grown monkey!"

Gohan landed quickly and began checking over his brother and sister as Vegeta sped off towards Broly. He was relieved to see that they were both breathing, but they were in bad shape.

Goten definitely had a skull fracture and blood was oozing out of the wound just above his hair-line. His breathing was shallow, indicating he was probably suffering from a broken rib or two. His clothes were all burned away from the waist up, his traditional shirt hanging from his belt and one wrist in tatters, revealing a rather large burn on the demi's back.

Ria wasn't as bad as her brother, and her breathing was more regular. Most of her kimono was still intact, but her hands were severely burned as well as her face, and a large amount of her shoulder length hair was burned off. Her ki was fluctuating greatly, indicating that she had passed out from the pain of her burns. Gohan made sure that the two of them were stable before rushing over to where Vegetta had dropped lime.

He rolled her onto her side and almost gagged when he saw how badly she was wounded. It appeared that she had tried to shield Ria from the blast, because the entire back of her button up shirt was gone, along with a large amount of her skin. Blood oozed from the giant hole in her back, slicking the grass she was laying on. A small gurgle escaped her lips and Gohan realized that she was bleeding into her lungs.

Gohan started to panic, trying to figure out what to do. He looked around rapidly, trying to think of something and grabbed onto her hand as if to reassure her. He felt a cord of leather wrapped around her delicate fingers and pulled on it gently to reveal the ring she had given him years ago. He looked down and realized that she must have pulled it off of him when they crashed. He stared at the ring, as if it were able to give him the answers he seeked.

"_-you're the closest friend I have, and you're like a brother to me."_

The words echoed in his mind a moment and he clenched his eyes shut. The world around him was cut out and all he could focus on was the images flashing in his head.

The days spend with Lime in the meadow studying, then explaining his life story to her, watching her face change from happy to scared or sad as he retold everything. All of the good times they had together. When she had first met the twins, the day after they were born.

_"Gohan they're adorable! I'm so jealous of you! I don't have any brothers or sisters."_

_ "Don't I count? As far as I am concerned, you are family"_

Family. His family. His responsibility. The one thing he had determined was more important to anything else in the world.

_"No matter what, I will protect you. I failed you once already, but never again. I can't be your father, but I will make sure that you grow up without the need to fight. You will get the childhood I never had. I love you both."_

Something inside him snapped. He no longer cared what happened to himself. All that mattered was that Broly died, and that he were the one to make him pay.

***TO VEGETA***

Vegeta's eyes bulged out as the wind was knocked out of him by Broly's knee. He hadn't even recovered before the crazed saiyan clenched his hands together and jackhammered Vegeta in between the shoulder-blades, sending him careening towards the ground. Vegeta recovered enough to spin himself over and impact the ground feet first, sending a cloud of dust into the air and creating a small crater. He looked up right into the eyes of Piccolo who had risen to his feet and was attempting to regenerate his arm.

The prince launched himself skyward again to take on his opponent again. He halted when an all too new power level emerged, and he felt a chill crawl up his spine.

_There's no way that that is coming from… wait is that GOHAN?_

"BRAT!"

The second he turned to look, Broly landed a punch right across his face, sending the prince tumbling towards the Demi-saiyan who had distracted him. He grunted in pain and attempted to open his eyes right before he impacted the ground. He lay there panting for a moment before feeling the boy's ki spike yet again. He pushed himself up to look at the young demi-saiyan, who had already ascended to the second level of super saiyan. The boy had a murderous glint in his eye, and his hands were quivering with rage. He growled and locked eyes with Vegeta, giving the prince a sense of dread he had not felt since his fight with Freeza on Namek.

"Vegeta, get these three out of here. This son of a bitch is mine!"

Vegeta scowled and stood. He stomped over to the teenager and looked him dead in the eye, letting his pride get the better of him.

"Who the hell do you think you're trying to give orders to brat? I don't have to l-UGH!"

Gohan buried his fist in the stomach of the prince.

"Shut the fuck up _your highness_. I said get these three out of here before I lose my patience and kill you all!"

Vegeta didn't even try to hide the shock on his face. Not only had the boy manned up and struck him, the prince of all saiyans, but he had _actually _just threatened to kill everyone present, including the three brats he spent all of his time with.

_This is not Gohan._

Not wanting to feel the wrath of the enraged demi, Vegeta hurried to the three prone forms, picking up the two children with one arm and the girl with the other. He turned to where Piccolo was, and felt a wave of nausea as the namekians arm grew back in a split second, shooting out of his shoulder.

"NAMEK! WE NEED TO GO NOW!"

Piccolo looked up into the sky at Broly, who was staring intently at the teenager below him, waiting for him to make the next move. He followed the saiyans eyes and saw Gohan standing there, lightning crackling around him in his ascended super saiyan form, and a glare on his face that would make any normal being soil themselves in fear. He didn't even give it a second though, and shot off into the sky, following Vegeta as fast as he could.

It didn't take them long to make it to within visual range of the lookout. At the speed they were going, they doubted whether or not anyone on the ground could even see them. They could feel the battle behind them beginning to unfold, and realized to their horror that Broly had transformed into the legendary super saiyan shortly after their departure.

Vegeta landed and dropped the children to the ground before turning and blasting off back towards the battle, leaving Piccolo standing there looking after him with a scowl on his face.

"Piccolo! What's going on? Who is that down there?"

Dende came running from the building on the lookout before spotting the three still forms at Piccolos feet. He stopped short and his eyes snapped open wide as realization set in. His hands trembled as he looked down on Gohan's family, a rarely seen scowl etched across his face.

"Piccolo who did it?"

"His name is Broly, he's the super-saiyan of legend. We believed him to be dead since his fight with us all on new Vegeta. Somehow he was here on Earth recovering from the fight."

Dende furrowed his brow, trying to remember when such a being could have made it to his planet without his knowledge. Before he could dwell on it, Piccolo interrupted him.

"Dende, I have to go back and try to help. Take care of these three, Gohan is counting on you."

With that, he took off, his aura erupting around him as he returned to the battle. Dende watched him leave for a second before turning his attention to the teenage girl at his feet and began his work.

***A FEW MINUTES EARLIER, BACK AT THE BATTLEGROUND***

Gohan felt Vegetta and Piccolo rushing towards the lookout and snapped his attention fully on the Saiyan in front of him. He bared his teeth and crouched low with one hand forward in the stance that Piccolo had taught him so many years before.

Broly considered him a moment, his head cocked to the side as if he were trying to figure something out. His frown flipped upside and he smiled a sick, sadistic smile and glared at Gohan. He roared, throwing his arms out to the side and unleashing his restrained power. His muscles bulged to an obscene size and his hair grew out and down his back and began to glow with a radioactive green tint. His roar shook the planet and when he returned his gaze to Gohan, it was an empty, pupil-less glare.

Gohan shot into the air as fast as he could, catching the Broly off guard and throwing a hook across his face. The saiyans head snapped around sharply and then thrust forward as Gohan followed up with a knee to the stomach. The saiyan recovered enough to block the next punch and countered with a kick of his own. He and Gohan traded blows for a few seconds before Broly caught the demi's arm in a hold and swung him over his head and released him towards the ground. The saiyan formed another ki ball in his hand and chucked it at the falling form, laughing his head off. Gohan flipped once and swatted the ki ball aside, sending it careening into the mountain side where it erupted in a colossal flash of light and heat.

Gohan felt the blast snuff out the lives of countless creatures on the side of the mountain, but no longer cared. His thoughts were clouded by rage, and blood-lust was coursing through his veins, begging him for violence. He let out an enraged cry and threw a golden ball of ki at the legend before him, smirking in satisfaction when it detonated, creating a huge cloud of smoke around him.

_Time for you to go down._

He shot off around the side of the cloud, sensing Broly's ki in the center still. He dove into the cloud trying to get the upper hand on the older saiyan, and was halted abruptly when his face met with a wall of energy. He slid, almost comically off the side of the ball and fell a few feet before regaining control of himself and landing a short distance away. The smoke cleared to reveal Broly standing there in all his glory within a bubble shield of ki.

The crazed saiyan dropped the sheild and then shot towards Gohan at speeds that seemed impossible for someone of his size. He dropped his forward shoulder and drove it straight into Gohan's midsection, grabbing him around the middle at the same time and driving them both several feet into the ground and kicking up a mushroom cloud of dust. The dust began to settle to show Gohan struggling against the larger man, who was crouched with one knee on his chest and throwing punch after punch at the young demi, laughing maniacally the entire time.

Gohan struggled for all he was worth, dodging and blocking several of Broly's attacks and trying to push the enraged saiyan off of him. But each time that Broly connected he felt himself slipping. An audible pop could be heard as one of his ribs cracked from the strain that was being forced on it, and Gohan loosed a scream of rage and pain. He watched as Broly raised up both hands, clenched together, to deliver a final blow to his head.

"SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!"

The vortex of energy struck the super saiyan in the chest, exploding and knocking him back enough for Gohan to pull his legs to his chest and kick out with both feet, sending Broly flying up and out of the crater that they had created. He used the momentum of his kick to flip up onto his feet and immediately staggered forward to his knees, coughing blood and panting. He spat the salty blood out of his mouth and turned his glare back to the enraged super saiyan at the edge of the crater.

"FINAL FLASH!"

A second beam of energy flew from behind Gohan, hitting Broly and detonating in a blinding white explosion. Gohan glanced to his side and saw Piccolo and Vegeta darting towards the cloud of smoke concealing the super saiyan, their auras swirling around them as the pumped their powers up to maximum.

Before they reached the cloud, a loud cackling could be heard echoing off the mountain side. A pair of green ki blasts shot out of the cloud in the direction of the two Z fighters. Piccolo could not block It in time and too the blast to his chest, shooting back to the ground where it detonated and he disappeared in a puff of dust and smoke. Vegeta managed to dodge the blast, only to be met by its creators hand as Broly grabbed him by the face, his huge hand completely covering everything from the nose up. Vegeta struggled and kicked out at the super saiyan, landing one across his face.

Gohan stood slowly, trying to ignore the pain of his limbs and his chest. He held one arm against his side, trying to dull the ache of his broken rib, and tried to regain enough power to attack Broly again. His bloodlust was beginning to fade as exhaustion set in, and he seemed to be in a fog. He was reaching out with his mind, trying to find the energy he needed. He watched as Broly drove a knee into Vegeta's stomach, completely taking the wind out of him and being rewarded with a spurt of blood as the prince coughed. He tossed Vegeta to the side, reverting him back to his normal form as he landed in a heap next to an unconscious Piccolo. Gohan stared at the two Z fighters, his stomach clenching into knots.

'You weren't strong enough. You've broken your promise to your siblings Gohan. You've failed again.'

_Shut up! I won't fail again! I can't! I have to win!_

'It's too late for that, he's going to kill you. Then the planet will follow and there's nothing you can do.'

Gohan snapped his glare back to Broly, who was staring his pupil-less stare right back with a smirk on his face.

"Now Kakarott. YOU DIE!"

Gohan's mind blanked. His eyes shut in pain and a grimace formed on his lips. He gritted his teeth as the memories from years ago resurfaced. His rage returned in full force, but this time at himself. Then he felt it.

The pool of ki he felt was enormous, and he was shocked to find it right within himself, where he never expected to find it. It was right where he had left behind the memories of his father. All of the self-loathing and denial that he had been so determined to leave behind for his family's sake. He latched onto it, letting his emotions course through him as the power rushed through his veins.

"You _dare_ compare me to him? He was a far better man than I could ever be, and HE SURE AS HELL WOULD HAVE ALREADY KILLED YOU!"

His rage flared, knocking all other emotions to the side and he screamed into the sky. His fists clenched at his sides and his back arched as pain coursed through him. Power filled his muscles and he could feel himself changing. His scalp itched as his golden hair began to lengthen, stretching down the length of his back to his waist. His muscles began to swell with ki, and his face burned as his brow became more defined and his eyebrows disappeared. His eyes flashed white and then returned to their teal color, but now with dark green pupils.

His transformation completed, and his scream faded into nothingness. He took a moment to look at his hands, marveling in the power he felt as lightning bolts shot from him into the ground. It was incredible, dwarfing the amount he had felt when he fought Cell. He glared back up at Broly, who was looking at him with a puzzled glare, his head slightly tilted to the side. He smirked and held up his hand, forming a shield that once again collapsed into a ball of ki in it. His smirk shifted to a scowl as he reared his hand back and attempted to throw it.

Attempted to…

Gohan shot his hand forward, two fingers extended and shot a dart of ki into the blast before it had even left the saiyans hand, detonating it mid-throw and sending its creator shooting off to the side, trailing smoke. Gohan took advantage of his dazed state and jumped through the air to meet him, reveling in his newfound speed. Broly didn't recover enough to block in time, and took Gohan's uppercut right to the chin, shooting skywards with a resounding snap as his jaw broke. Gohan grounded himself and gathered his energy for one final blast. He raised his hands to his forehead, right hand in front and pushed his ki into an energy ball.

"MAAASENKOOOOO… HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Broly spun through the air, halting himself and glaring back down at his opponent as blood dripped from his mouth. He growled and spat towards the earth as Gohan's Masenko shot from his now outstretched hands towards the legendary super saiyan. Broly sneered and extended his hand towards the blast and forming another shield around himself. Once again the shield collapsed into his outstretched hand and formed a tiny ball of ki. He pumped more energy into it, and instantly, it expanded to the size of a beach ball.

Broly shot the blast forward, making it meet halfway with his opponents. He pushed even more energy into the blast, trying to force the Masenko back, but he could not. His smirk changed to a grimace, and he growled, shooting more blasts through the beam, increasing it in size and power. It was no use, he couldn't halt the beam of energy.

The distance between Broly's outstretched hand and the back of his own blast dwindled down until he was touching it directly. He shot his other hand forward to try and stop the blasts, throwing his ki forward in an attempt to send it in another direction. He groaned and felt fear grip his heart as his hands began to dissolve in the heat of the energy of the two blasts.

Gohan held onto his power with everything he had, pouring it out through his hands at a rate he had not known was possible. He felt himself getting worn down quickly, and with a final determined roar, shot his remaining energy through his hands towards the blast. The large pulse shot up the beam and impacted the back of his masenko, expanding it as it consumed Broly and shot off into the sky.

"KAKAROOOOOOTT!"

Broly's scream of pain was the last thing he heard before the sweet silence of unconsciousness washed over him and he reverted to his normal form, collapsing onto his back.

***THAT NIGHT ON THE LOOKOUT***

Lime stroked Ria's hair gently as the child slept on her lap. The little girl's hair had been cut short to even it out after being partially burned away. Goten was laid out on the ground next to where Lime was sitting in her chair at the edge of the room. They were all wearing clean robes, courtesy of Mr. Popo, and had recovered from their wounds. Ria had come out mostly unscathed, and Goten had recovered fully from the skull fracture. Even Lime had been healed fully from the physical damage she'd been dealt.

"_Why don't I have a scar Dende? I was afraid that I would have one like Gohan."_

_ "Lime, Gohan's injuries were far worse than your own when he received that scar, there was almost nothing left of his shoulder. On top of that, you're only human, so it takes a lot less energy for me to heal you. The energy required to heal a saiyan is enormous compared to yours, even if it's only a half saiyan."_

She smiled at the child in her arms as she let out a quiet snort and turned to snuggle closer to her. She had spent so much time with the three Son children that she never really saw them as anything _but_ human, regardless of what she knew. It amused her in a morbid sort of fascination that it took nearly dying to realize the fragile mortality of her species.

That had been hours ago, when Gohan was still on the planet fighting that monster. She could feel the vibrations of the battle in the air, and she swore she could hear the screams too. Then it all went quiet, and she had a sinking feeling in her stomach. She remembered the children sitting at the edge of the lookout, patiently waiting for their idol to reappear. When he did, they all felt a sense of dread.

Piccolo had arrived carrying the young demi-saiyan, and informed them that Broly had been defeated. He gently dropped Gohan so that he was laying on his back, and the three took in the damage done. He was still only in his pants and shoes from before, He was covered in bruises and blood was trickling slowly down the side of his face from the corner of his mouth. He still had the ring she had given him wrapped tightly around his hand by the leather cord. All three had let out a collective sigh of relief when they saw he was breathing deeply.

_"Don't worry guys, he'll be alright. He just spent a lot of energy fighting Broly. Let Dende heal his wounds, and let him sleep. He's earned it after what I saw him do."_

She had wondered at that statement for a while, but decided not to ask the large Namekian. Instead she opted to help get him cleaned up as Dende healed his wounds. The children had run off to play a game of tag, knowing that their brother was alright, while she sat by his bedside. She had been there quite a while, watching the gentle rise and fall of her friend's chest. Despite the assurances of the guardian, she wanted to make sure that he was alright.

She had dozed off into a light slumber, only to be awakened by the twins stumbling into the room and instantly going to where they currently sleeping. It was dark out now, and the two twins were exhausted from the day's events. Ria had opted for the comfortable warmth of her adopted sister's lap, while Goten had just collapsed on the floor and started snoring loudly, much to the amusement of Lime.

She watched the twins sleep for a while, and once again was hit with a pang of jealousy at how lucky Gohan was to have them. She stood, still cradling Ria in her arms and walking to the edge of the bed where Gohan was still unconscious, and gently lay the girl down next to him. She turned to where Goten was passed out, and moved him just as gently to Gohan's other side. Immediately, both children unconsciously grabbed onto their older brother, making Lime's eyes burn with tears at the adorable sight. She leaned over the bed, brushing aside a lock of Gohan's hair that had fallen down in front of his face. Ever so gently, she brought her face closer to his, staring intently at his peaceful expression.

"I don't know what you did back there Gohan, but I know that none of us would be alive if it weren't for you. I just wish you didn't have to shoulder the responsibility by yourself."

She closed the distance and lightly pressed her lips to his cheek. She thought for a moment to move the kiss to his lips, just to see what it felt like. But she knew that she would never be able to love him for anything more than a brother, and she never wanted that to change. He was her best friend, and that was perfectly fine with her.

She smiled and let the rest of her body move onto the wide bed, settling herself so that her head was resting on his scarred and well-muscled shoulder and Goten was nestled between the two teenagers. She smiled and played with the ring that was once again tied around Gohan's neck, drifting off into the dream land.

***CAPSULE CORPORATION***

"Vegeta, it's the middle of the night, are you going to come to bed?"

Vegeta paused his training in the gravity room to look up at the observation deck, where Bulma was standing with a worried expression on her face. He hadn't heard her enter as he was still lost in thought about what had happened out there. The brat had gone and done it _again_! The next level of super saiyan, something that the prince hadn't even considered after ascending himself.

_You mock me Kakarott. Even in death, you prove that I am no match for you in the form of your son. I'm stronger than I ever was before, I am supposed to be the most powerful saiyan in existence! And yet your son, a mere half-breed, continues to outshine me. He has truly become a super saiyan of legend._

He relaxed his scowl and stood straight, looking at his mate. He had not intended to worry the woman, but his anxiety would not allow sleep to come so easily.

"Vegeta what's wrong. What happened today? First you run off screaming something about Gohan, then you come back a mess, like you'd just been hit by a train! Explain it to me, what happened to you?"

Vegeta killed the gravity and walked out of the room without a backwards glance. He heard the door to the observation deck open and close as Bulma came running to catch him before he disappeared into the main building. She grabbed his arm, spinning him around with a surprising amount of force and grabbing him by the shoulders.

"Vegeta! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

The words hit him like a Kamehameha, and his temper snapped.

"Dammit woman! I'm not strong enough! That's what is wrong with me!"

Her jaw dropped as he yelled at her, and she backed away from him as his frustration vented.

"That damned brat is once again proving that the prince of all saiyans is nothing to him, just like his shithead father before him! And I am forced to the sidelines to watch as Kakarott takes the glory for the saiyan race without me yet again!"

Bulma frowned at him and poked him firmly in the chest.

"_That's _what this is about? Vegeta you're one of the most powerful beings in the universe, and you don't even seem to realize it, but I don't care if Gohan is stronger than you! He's not Goku, so don't hold it against him like this! He's lost a lot, including his father, and he's become who he is to protect us all, including you! We all know that he thinks he owes it to us!"

Vegeta furrowed his brow and crossed his arms. The woman was right, but he didn't want to admit it. The boy had grown into a warrior of increadible skill, worthy of the title of saiyan. Even though he would never say it out loud, he was proud of the young demi-saiyan. Bulma placed her hands on either side of his face, pulling his gaze directly to hers.

"Look Vegeta, I know that you feel like you have to be the best, but please, don't let it torture you like this. Let Gohan have his place as guardian. This world is his to protect now, and I'm yours. Me and Trunks, we are yours to protect you understand?"

He stared into her eyes for a brief moment, considering her words before nodding. She smiled and leaned in to kiss him, locking her lips with his and wrapping her arms around his neck. Vegeta's emotional barriers cracked and he unfolded his arms to wrap around her waist, returning the kiss. He pulled away and smirked down at his mate.

"I hate it when you do that. You're going to make me soft."

Bulma gave him a devious grin and leaned in close to him and whispered into his ear, sending a shiver down his spine.

"Well come back to our bed and I'll… _remedy_ that for you."

His eyes widened and surprise hit him as he registered what she was getting at. He looked down at her playful grin and smirked before following her back into the house.

**A/N: Heh, hope you guys didn't think I was going to kill the girls did you? Nope, had to have them still alive for later in the story =P... Little hint of V/B there at the end: This is how I imagine their day-to-day life goes, and how I imagine Vegeta actually thinks. Let me know what you think!**


	7. Plans for the future

**Alrighty guys here we go again! (Take two, had some mistakes when I posted it first) Thanks everyone for the feedback, keep it coming! R&amp;R and enjoy! **

**Chapter 7: Plans for the future**

Gohan woke up surprised to find himself staring at the ceiling of his old room in the lookout. He stared at it in confusion before the memories came back to him.

_Broly! Oh kami Lime! Ria! Goten!_

He reached out with his senses and tried to sit up, but was stopped by a warm and gentle weight on his shoulder. He glanced over to see Lime lying next to him, sound asleep and wearing one of the robes that Mr. Popo kept at the lookout. Relief rushed through him as he saw her, then he blushed a bit, wondering what his mother would say if she had heard that he was sleeping in the same bed as a girl.

_Oh crap mom! Ohhh I'm in deep shit now… How am I going to explain this to her? How long have we been out? Where are the kids?_

"Hnnnngh."

He glanced over and almost laughed as Lime yawned widely and scratched her face like a cat. She cracked her eyes open and blearily looked at gohan before her eyes snapped open and she shot up into a sitting position and grabbed him up in a tight hug.

"Gohan! You're awake! Kami you had me worried there!"

Gohan laughed and released himself from her strangle hold. He looked her over, checking to see if there was any permanent damage.

"Don't be worried about me Lime, you were in bad shape when I had Vegeta send you here. Are you all right? Was Dende able to heal you?"

She smiled and turned to push aside the robe top so that he could see her back. It looked as if there had never been any damage there at all.

_Man Dende's gotten better at this._ _Broly did a number on her and she doesn't even have a scratch left on her!_

"Lime where are Goten and Ria? They were injured as well, are they okay?"

Lime pulled the robe top back around her neck and turned back to Gohan with a worried smile on her face.

"Gohan they're fine, though I don't know where they ran off to. I'm guessing they're trying to find Popo for some food... Gohan, what happened down there? Piccolo said that you had defeated that guy Broly? He said something about how what you had done was amazing, but he didn't say what it was."

Gohan furrowed his brow and averted his eyes, deep in thought.

_Damn what _did_ I do? Everything after I sent away Lime and the others is fuzzy._

He thought through the situation in his mind, slowly remembering the events of the fight. He had been fighting Broly, and he was losing. He was pinned and Broly was about to kill him.

_Piccolo and Vegeta! I need to remember to thank those two._

Then it got fuzzy again. He could remember flashes of light, rage and pain, and… Guilt? Yes that's what that was. But why?

_"Now Kakarott. YOU DIE!"_

_ "You dare compare me to him?"_

It all came back to him in a rush. The flood of emotions he felt during the fight, the unbelievable pool of energy that was locked away within him, the monster that had been unleashed from him at that moment. He gasped and probed his mind and body for the energy again, and was surprised to find it sticking out as if it had been in plain sight the whole time. He frowned and looked down at his hands, remembering the ferocity he had displayed. He had lost control of himself, and the Gohan he had unleashed didn't even pause once to consider his surroundings.

_What if the twins had been there? What if Lime had been there? I could have easily killed them all. I need to be careful with this._

Lime shook his shoulder gently, pulling him quickly from his thoughts. He looked at her worried expression and instantly felt guilty.

"Gohan what is it? What happened back there?

He frowned and tried to think of the best way to tell her without saying too much.

"I unleashed a monster, even more dangerous than Broly."

His answer didn't satisfy her, but before she could say anything else, the door slammed open and two little blurs slammed into Gohan's now awake form, tackling him back to the bed.

"Gohan you're awake! Did you really beat the poopy head?"

Lime giggled at the girl's analogy for the super saiyan and Gohan's confused expression. The two children bounced on his chest excitedly, staring in awe at their older brother. Gohan's face lit up when he realized who they were talking about and nodded. Goten jumped up and down on Gohans stomach babbling excitedly and repeatedly knocking the wind out of his brother while Ria just lunged forward and hugged her brother around the neck.

"I knew you would! You're the strongest person in the whole world!"

Gohan hugged his little sister back with one arm and grabbed Goten as he was falling back down to land on his stomach again and held him up with a serious expression on his face.

"I might be the strongest person in the world, but even I don't know what we're going to tell Mom."

The two children's eyes snapped open wide in shock of the realization they had just made, and their faces paled. They looked at each other nervously, obviously worried about the lecture they were going to get when they got home. Or worse, Mr. Pan. In the background, Lime burst out in a fit of giggles as she guessed what they were thinking.

***SATAN RESIDENCE***

Videl was up earlier than normal. Nobody was in the gym at her father's dojo.

_The same dojo that the city paid for because he lied to them._

Everywhere she looked, she saw how different things would be if it hadn't happened. Had the delivery boy taken the credit like he should have, the dojo might not have even still been here. Her father had been the champion of the last two world martial arts tournaments, so there was a possibility that the dojo would have remained. But the people she trained with, the huge mansion, even the equipment she used. She wondered how different it would have been.

She finished her laps around the gym before settling into a stance and beginning a kata that her father had taught her. She wasn't really paying attention to the moves, as they were natural to her now. She was lost in thought about what to do about this new situation.

She knew her father's secret, and it filled her with shame beyond what she could have ever imagined. She hadn't even been able to look at the man since he told her. She had carefully avoided being anywhere near him, including dinner later that night. Until she came up with a course of action, she didn't even want to think about him. But it crowded her mind. She shook her head and growled, stopping the kata mid-way and stormed over to a bag, wanting to vent her frustration. As she began hitting it with all of her strength, ideas began to form.

_Really there's only three options I see here. The first being the obvious one of telling the world the truth. But what were to happen if I did that? What would the people do? Would they even believe me? No, there's so much that could go wrong there. I could be waved off as crazy, or the world would eat us alive for lying. He may be a lying sack of shit but he's still my father. Fuck!_

She drove a roundhouse kick into the bag hard and felt her ankle pop and a jolt shot up her leg.

"Shit. Stupid!"

She tenderly tried to put her weight on it and nearly collapsed when she did. She hobbled over to the ring nearby and sat down on a fold out chair, inspecting the joint with her hands. She sighed when she realized it wasn't a serious injury, just a sprain, and pulled her shoe and sock off so that she could wrap it.

_The second option, is to sweep it under the rug like it never happened. But I don't think that I would ever be able to live with the shame like that. No, I'm sure I would go crazy._

She irritably pulled her hair out of it's braid that she had it tied into and combed her fingers through it. She slowed the motions as the third idea came to the forefront of her mind.

_Or I could do neither. I won't be able to tell people because of the backlash that it will bring, but maybe I can give back to the city?_

She nodded her head at the thought and limped over to the preparation table, grabbing a linen wrap and returning to her seat. She started wrapping her ankle when the door to the Dojo opened to reveal a very tired looking Mr. Satan. He was wearing his usual brown and white gi and looked like he hadn't slept at all. His eyebrows shot up as he saw his daughter wrapping her ankle and rushed towards her.

"Videl! Are you alright?"

She held up her hand as he got closer, motioning for him to be silent.

"It's just a sprain dad, I've got it."

She continued to wrap it, struggling a bit with the effort of not pushing on her foot the wrong way as she went. Her hands were interrupted when her father stepped in and gently took the wrap from her and pushed her back into the chair. She glared at him, but didn't argue. She crossed her arms and stared at him as he wrapped the joint firmly, and she felt the ache subside slowly.

_He can be such a good person when he wants to be. Shit, why did he have to lie? Now I have to make up for the mistakes of the past. I have to regain the honor that he lost for us._

He finished wrapping her foot and just sat there a moment, staring at the ground in front of him.

"Videl, I-"

"Dad, shut up. I already know what you're going to say, and before you say anything else, you're going to let me talk."

He looked at his daughter with a surprised expression that quickly changed to worry.

"You're not going to-"

"Dad I said shut up!"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, getting her frustration under control and attempting to calm her mind.

"I'm not going to tell anyone what you did. If I did, I would either crush the hopes of the entire city, or I would be laughed at as a lunatic."

She opened her eyes to watch his reaction. His expression changed from worry to confusion, and then settled on hopeful excitement. She held up a finger to stall him from speaking.

"But; I will not simply continue on like I didn't know. You lied to the people of the city, and we have been prosperous because of it. I'm going to give back to the city, and you're not going to get in my way to do it, understand?"

His eyebrows shot together in concentration but he nodded regardless. Satisfied, she stood, gingerly testing her ankle as she put weight on it. Glad that the pain had subsided to the point that she could walk, or rather limp, on her own two feet, she began to make her way for the door, leaving her father where he was kneeling. She opened the door to step out and paused to look back at him.

"Videl, what exactly are you planning on doing?"

She smirked at him as he gazed at the floor with a distracted frown.

"Well, I figure since you 'saved the world' from a baddie, I might as well carry on the family business. I'm going to go have a chat with our good friend, the chief of police."

He paled and looked at her with a shocked expression, but she had already gone. Closing the door behind her to leave her father wondering what he was supposed to do now.

***ONE MONTH LATER: SATAN CITY***

Videl hovered her brand new jet-copter above the streets of downtown Satan city. She was animatedly talking to the chief of police through her wrist-communicator that she had been given just last week. The police department had been all too excited to welcome her into the force, and she was quickly proving her worth to them, though they still treated her like a little girl sometimes. Now was not an exception.

"Videl you cannot be serious here! The guys we're talking about here are big time criminals, and they have enough weapons to take on a whole squad of police! How do you propose you would be able to take all four of them on?"

Videl growled and gave her best glare to the man through the camera attached to the device, and was pleased to see him blanch a bit at the look.

_Remember that face Videl, it might come in handy later._

"Look chief stop treating me like a little girl! You know as well as I do that I can take care of myself, and besides, your men down there aren't making any ground! I can help!"

He started to argue, but she cut off the connection with a soft beep and grabbed the stick of her transport. She thrust it forward, sending it into a dive towards the building in the distance where she could see the police cars formed up in front. She could see muzzle flash of the police weapons and hear the rhythmic crack of fully automatic weapons fire. She decided that the best option would be to land on the roof of the building and go from there.

_An apartment building? Hmm figures, they were probably after someone here._

She carefully landed the jet copter and capsulized it, pushing it into her pocket. She pulled on the wrists of her gloves and made sure they were fastened tight before walking towards the edge of the building to look down. The Police were hiding behind their cars in an attempt to avoid the hail of bullets streaming from the building. She identified four different weapons firing from the windows, all coming from different rooms.

_Idiots. Each of them is on their own in there. I just need to go in and pick them off one by one and this will be over._

She ran for the roof-access door and pulled it open gently, peering inside to make sure it was clear. Satisfied that it was, she began to run down the stairs, making as little noise as possible and following the sounds of the gunfire. She paused on the sixth floor, hearing the gunshots coming from down the hall where there was an open room. She rushed forward as quietly as she could, stopping to peer into the room. The criminal was leaning out the window, firing his weapon without sighting it, a smirk on his face and a cigar sticking out of his mouth.

She rounded the corner and grabbed the man by the back of his suit jacket and threw him roughly towards the ground, sweeping his leg out from under him. As he fell he dropped his rifle and reached out his hands to break his fall. His wrist snapped with the pressure and he let out a howl of pain. Videl quickly lunged over to him and drove her fist into his face, knocking him unconscious before pulling the man's belt from him to tie his arms together and to bedpost. Making sure he was secure, she unloaded his rifle and disassembled it in a quick and efficient fashion.

Pleased with her work, she turned and made her way to the rest of the gang members, running into very few people as she went. She dealt with two more criminals, one on the fifth floor and one on the third, in a similar fashion to the first. She was surprised at how well each of them were armed, and began to wonder if maybe she was getting in a bit too deep here.

She ran down the remaining flight of stairs and noticed that the gunfire had stopped. She opened the door slowly and poked her head out. She halted when she felt the cold steel of a handgun pressed against her temple.

"Alright girly, no more funny shit. Come on out of there nice and slow, and no one will get hurt."

She cursed herself in her mind and did as he said. She turned to face him, a scowl held firm on her face. He sneered at her and kept the gun pointed at her head. She noticed that he was wearing a vest with grenades attached to it, and he held a cable attached to the pins in his other hand, ready to set off the grenades at a moment's notice.

_Crazy son of a bitch!_

"Ahhh I see you caught on. Damned police boys didn't, forced me to kill a hostage you see. Poor guy couldn't have been more than sixteen years old."

Ice gripped her heart as she glanced over to the front of the building to see a puddle of blood and brain matter, around a familiar figure.

_Ryan!_

"He seemed to think he could take us all on, was boasting something about being one of the 'champs' students or some bull shit like that. In the end, he bleeds like the rest of us."

Hatred boiled inside her. She had not personally been a friend of the Ryan, but the way this guy spoke about him made her want to rip his throat out. She gritted her teeth and glared at the man. His face was mocking her, sneering at her from behind the gun.

"Looky here girly, I know someone took care of my boys upstairs already, and I'm guessing that was you. Well that's too bad now isn't it? Looks like I'll have to just smear you all over the wall too, huh?"

He grinned at her evilly and pulled back the hammer of the pistol with his thumb.

_Shit, should have known it was a single action. Fuck fuck fuck what do I do?_

"Freeze!"

A police officer stepped into the hallway where they were standing and leveled his shotgun at the criminal, trying to get a clear shot around Videl. The man snarled and turned his weapon towards the new threat and Videl saw his hand tighten on the weapon to fire. She reacted as quickly as she could, kicking high and knocking his aim off as he fired, and shot her arm in with a hammer-fist strike to his throat. She felt his trachea collapse under her blow, and he staggered towards the door she had just come from, accidentally pulling the chord attached to the grenades. Videl's eyes widened as she watched in slow motion while the pins were released and the spoon on each grenade shot up, arming them.

"Shit! GET BACK!"

Acting quickly, she push kicked the man into the stairwell and dove behind the wall just as the grenades detonated, throwing dust and smoke out through the door and shaking the entire building. She lay there in a daze, her head ringing from the shockwave of the explosion, and she felt like she had just been kicked in the chest by a horse. As the smoke cleared, a police officer ran to her side, covered in dust and bleeding a bit from his forehead where a piece of debris had hit him. He shook her gently and called her name repeatedly.

As her vision cleared, she realized that the cop she had saved moments ago was trying to talk to her. She shook her head to clear the ringing and looked around and inspected herself. She was covered in a fine layer of dust, and she felt like she had just been thrown off of a cliff due to the rate her heart was pumping, but otherwise she seemed to be unharmed. The building was in much worse condition. Part of the wall she had dove behind was crumbling, revealing a metal skeletal structure that was holding it up and the walls in the stairwell were spattered with pockmarks and blood, along with other things that she could only guess the names of. The floor was decorated with a large scorch mark and a large pile of gore that looked horribly like a person's lower body.

She gagged as she took in the scene and rushed out the front of the apartment to be sick. She retched a few times and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before turning to the medic who was trying to fuss over her, telling her how a girl her age should be out with friends, not witnessing the horrors that mankind can create by fighting eachother.

_Erasa said very much the same thing. I don't care, I'll do whatever it takes. I must give back. Even if this is the only way I know how. _

She allowed the woman to clean her up. Satisfied that the girl was not injured enough to need to go to the hospital, she released her and went to help clean up the mess within the apartment. Videl strode into the street and decapsulized her jet-copter to leave before any of the media showed up. Just as she lifted off, her watch beeped, and she answered it to see the worried face of the police chief on the screen.

"Videl I heard what happened, are you alright?"

Videl nodded and smirked at the man on the screen.

"I told you chief, I can take care of myself."

***SON RESIDENCE, GOHAN'S 18****TH**** BIRTHDAY***

Chi chi hummed to herself as she washed the dishes from their dinner and listened to the twins in the next room over playing with Trunks. No doubt they were plotting some evil prank on their favorite victim: Gohan. She always found it amusing that the three of them picked the most powerful being in the universe, and he was truly powerless against them. The twins had turned seven just a couple months before and they were growing at an alarming rate. Ria was still shorter than Goten, but she had gained an intellectual advantage over her twin. She had opted to keep her hair relatively short since the Broly incident, only allowing it to grow out to the bottom of her jaw, and it stuck out in every direction just like Gohan's when he was younger. It gave her a wild appearance that clashed with the formal kimonos that Chi chi always had her wear.

Goten on the other hand was the spitting image of his father when he had been younger. He constantly wore an orange gi with a long sleeve navy blue undershirt, and always had a smile plastered on his face. It was extremely difficult to be mad at the boy for any given amount of time, and he was extremely powerful for his age, no doubt due to all of his sparring time with his best friend. The lavender haired boy as a year and a half older than the twins, but was still only as tall as Goten. He had picked up his father's temper and his mother's sense of practical humor, a dangerous combination to say the least.

Most of the guests had already returned to their homes, and it was dark outside. Bulma and Vegeta had left Trunk at her home, as much for the children's benefit as it was for theirs. Gohan had decided to give Lime a lift back home to her villiage, and he hadn't returned yet. Chi Chi watched the two of them constantly, hoping that one of them would make a move. She was a relatively patient woman, but she wanted Gohan to hurry up and find himself a woman. She wanted grandchildren! But the two of them didn't seem to want to take their relationship further.

For the life of her, she couldn't understand why they wouldn't want to. The two of them had been so close to each other since the Cell games, to the point that she was sure Lime knew more about her son than she did. Add on top of that that the both of them had matured into very attractive young adults and it seemed impossible to her that they wouldn't go further.

Gohan had exploded upwards in height, now standing well over six feet tall like his father. He constantly wore his Navy blue gi with the long sleeve red undershirt. His shoulders had broadened and his chest had filled out fully. When he worked outside in his gi pants, one would swear that he was a god incarnate. His muscles were perfectly chiseled and the scars from his battles showed that he was a fierce fighter. His hair was as short and spiky as it was during his fight with Broly, but now a single lock of his midnight black hair hung over his eyes. The young man looked serious almost constantly, and was made more intimidating by the scar that decorated his impossibly handsome face. But anyone that could break past the harsh exterior found quickly that he was a genuinely nice person with a heart made of gold.

Lime had filled out in the last couple of years as well, though in a different manner. She hadn't grown all too tall, only standing about as tall as Chi Chi, which put her at about collar-bone height on Gohan. But she had blossomed into a drop-dead gorgeous young woman. Her auburn hair was naturally wavy now, and she let it hang free down to her shoulder blades, framing her fair skinned face and bright emerald eyes, and she had an impeccable fashion sense. Everything she wore seemed to hug her curvy figure in all the right places, while never revealing anything too much.

The two of them would have made an excellent couple in Chi Chi's mind, but they would have none of it. All the displays of affection they shared were the same as if Lime had been born Gohan's sister, and he was fiercely protective of her. Even the times that Chi Chi had attempted to get them together by having Lime sleep over, she was disappointed that nothing had happened.

She sighed and continued washing the dishes, wondering what to do about her son's social life when it occurred to her that Gohan had only ever made friends with a single person his age. She thought about the situation until a new thought had occurred to her.

_School! Oh why didn't I think of it before?! Gohan is still young enough to attend high school! I know he decided that he would prioritize fighting over his studies, but he needs to have friends his age!_

Her thoughts were interrupted by a whooshing noise that announced Gohan's arrival. She dried off her hands on her apron and began walking to the main room as Gohan came in the front door. Three giggling children sprung from nowhere and latched onto the older demi-saiyan, catching him unawares and sending him crashing to the floor. Goten and Trunks had grabbed his legs and were trying their best to pin him to the ground while Ria sat on his back with her arms crossed and a triumphant grin on her face.

"Gotcha Gohan!"

Gohan pushed himself up and spun over rapidly, sending the three children flying to different parts of the room where they lay about in a dazed state. He chuckled and sped around the room at super-speed, grabbing each one and somehow switching all of their clothes around so that Goten and Trunks were wearing Ria's Kimono top and skirt, respectively, and Ria was wearing a combination of their orange and green gi's. He studied his handi-work, a smirk on his face while Chi Chi giggled into her hand. The three children looked around confused at the Son matron's laughter, looking for the source of her amusement when they spotted what the others were wearing.

Trunks spotted Goten wearing the kimono top and started snickering and pointing at his best friend, who was starting to turn red with embarrassment and frustration.

"Shush Trunks! At least I don't wear skirts!"

Trunks' laughter died instantly as his eyes widened and he looked down. His cheeks flushed a brilliant red and he tried to hide the skirt from view, doing a very Marilyn Monroe-esque pose. Ria looked down at what she was wearing and shrugged, grinning like it wasn't a big deal. The two boys looked at her puzzled for a second before trying to grab her and get their clothes. Ria darted down the hall and up the stairs trying to get away from the two embarrassed demis who gave chase.

Gohan smirked and plopped down on the couch, proud of the fact that he had once again out-pranked the demon trio. Chi chi got her giggling under control and walked over to sit next to her elder son. The young man glanced at her nervously for a moment before relaxing and leaning back into the couch, looking at her expectantly.

_Oh too funny! He's the strongest known fighter in the universe and he is still scared by his mother!_

"Sweety, I was hoping to talk to you about something."

She paused to make sure he was listening to her, and like always, his eyes had locked onto hers as soon as she started speaking. She noted that even after all these years, they still held a haunted and cold look. Even for all of his outward appearances, she knew that he was still hurting. She pushed the thought aside, taking a deep breath and hoping for the best.

"I know this is going to sound strange Gohan, but I wanted to talk to you about attending High School for this year."

Gohan's expression changed rapidly from a neutral, attentive one to one of confusion. He broke his gaze away from her to stare at something on the coffee table, and you could see the thoughts racing through his mind as he processed the information. He looked back at her with an eyebrow raised.

"Why? What could I learn from going to high school now? You know as well as I do that my education is way beyond that of a high scholar."

"Gohan this isn't about you learning anything academic. I want you to go to try and make some friends. To this day, the only friend you've made that is your age has been Lime. Just think, almost every person that showed up for your birthday today was either old enough to be your father or grandfather, and then the four children."

Gohan looked at her incredulously, and stood up to pace the room in front of the coffee table, his hand rubbing the back of his neck nervously, lost in his thoughts as he considered her words.

_Kami he looks so much like Goku when he does that._

"Mom do you realize what will have to happen if I were to go through with this? I will have to try to fit in, or someone is going to take notice and before you know it we'll have the media all over our doorstep. On top of that, where would I go to high school?"

The Son matron sighed in relief that he was at-least thinking about it.

"I was thinking the Ox kingdom. It's the closest to us here besides Satan City, and I'm sure that your grandfather would be willing to put you in an acceptable class-"

"And have the whole community groveling at my feet because I'm one of the Ox Princes? No I don't think so mom, that's the kind of attention I want to avoid."

She was caught off guard by his tone, and was about to retort when she caught his glare. Realizing that it was hopeless to press that matter, she sighed and clasped her hands together in her lap.

"Well then the best option would be to go to Orange Star High in Satan City. Nobody there will know who you are, but there will be a lot more people."

She looked back up at him hopefully to see him looking up at the ceiling and dragging his hands down his face as he struggled with his thoughts. He dropped his gaze to his mother, and she gave him the best teary-eyed puppy face she could muster.

_Dammit I hate it when she uses that look on me! It's even worse than when she just yells at me!_

He sighed in defeat, looking at the ground and placing his hands no his hips. He set his face back into its neutral state and looked back at his mother.

"Alright, how do you propose I go about doing this?"

Chi Chi wanted to jump up and squeal out in delight, but settled for smiling at her eldest son and motioning for him to sit back down, which he reluctantly did. They talked for about an hour, discussing the details of what he would try to accomplish in high school. Finally they came to an agreement that they were both satisfied by, and Gohan headed up to his room, leaving Chi chi elated. She went back to her kitchen to finish washing the dishes, humming to herself and day-dreaming about grandchildren.

**A/N: Sorry for all you folks that wanted to see Chi chi's reaction to the Broly fight, but we all know how that would go:*pan swishes through air* BANG! "Where the hell have you been insert chi chi rant here" etc... And on the note of how Gohan is going to go about being in high school, that is a secret for me to reveal at a later date! MUAHAHAHAHA I hope you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for next time!**


	8. First Impressions

**Hey guys, back again! This might be my last update for a couple days because i'm going to be working some long hours for the next three weeks. I'll try to get some new chapters up as soon as possible. Thanks to all of the people who reviewed for me! I realize I've made some spelling errors and whatnot, but I'll correct them as I go! Now, on to the story! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 8: First Impressions**

***THREE WEEKS LATER – SATAN MANSION***

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Be-smack!_

Videl opened her eyes slowly and glared at her clock.

_Five in the morning. Why the hell did I decide it was a good idea for me to get up at five in the fucking morning? Ugh I shouldn't have gone after that goon that stole the smart car last night… That was pointless and I could've slept. Who the hell steals a smart car anyways?_

She groaned and kicked her covers off and rolled out of bed, stretching and stumbling into her private bathroom for a shower. She cranked the up the heat of the water and stripped herself of her baggy white t-shirt that she had fallen asleep in, revealing a highly toned, yet still curvy body. The last two years of crime fighting had done well for her physically, but she couldn't halt the affects her hormones had on her, which included filling out in her hips and breasts. Granted she was nowhere near as voluptuous as Erasa, but she still hated it. On more than one occasion she had been oogled by the men she was trying to beat the snot out of, which led to her decision a couple years ago to start wearing baggy clothes to hide her blooming figure. Besides that, her fathers "rule" was still in place, and she didn't want the attention that a bunch of boys fighting over her would bring.

She stepped into the shower and let the hot water run over her body. She washed her hair out and lathered herself with soap, lingering on the scars she had received fighting crime in the city. She poked one of the more recent ones, a knife wound a few months back where a crazed man stabbed her in the thigh. She winced as she once again felt the cold steel pierce her skin, then shook the thought from her head. She let the water flow over her, washing the tiredness from her completely.

She cut the flow of the water and returned to her bedroom, drying herself off as she went. She strained out her long raven hair and started getting dressed. She pulled on a pair of biking shorts that went down to just above her knees and another baggy white t-shirt. She pulled on a pair of ankle socks and green capsule corporation boots and pulled her still slightly damp hair into a pair of pigtails. She had stopped worrying about putting her hair into its normal braid when she started her senior year earlier this month.

She pinned her school badge onto her shirt and grabbed the capsule containing her jet-copter and decided she would get some breakfast this morning. She passed a theater room as she walked through the hallways towards the kitchen, and looked inside to see video footage of the twenty-fifth world martial arts tournament playing on repeat. The current scene was the one where he had knocked Spopovich out of the ring after only a few seconds of fighting. She averted her gaze from the screen and looked at her father where he sat on the couch passed out, with a bottle of only Kami knows what in hand.

She snorted and walked away from the scene, her head held high and her expression set into a grim smirk of satisfaction.

_He deserves all of this guilt. Stubborn jack-ass is trying to re-live his glory days when he was really was the best, not a lying cheat._

She passed a butler on the way, who bowed slightly to her with a "good morning madam". She pointed her thumb over her shoulder towards the theater and rolled her eyes, giving the butler an unspoken message.

"Understood madam, I shall take care of him."

"Thanks George. I'm going to grab some food, then I'm off to do my rounds. Let him know if he even asks."

George nodded before turning sharply on his heel and marching to the theater to clean up the mess. Videl walked the rest of her way to the kitchen, grabbing a few pieces of bacon and some toast and making a sandwich with them before walking out the side door that led to her pool patio. She pulled out her capsule and tossed it over to a grass clearing, revealing her yellow jet-copter. She climbed in and took off, munching on her sandwich as she went.

She had been in the air for a good hour before she heard anything, and she instantly opened the connection on her watch to see the dispatcher on the screen.

"What's up sis?"

The blonde on the screen nodded in silent acknowledgement, her face a serious mask.

"Videl, we've got a report of one of the local gangs trying to take the east bank of the city. Two units have already been dispatched, but they appear to be struggling. The perps have sub-machine guns and one confirmed medium machine gun mounted on a technical. Reported twelve hostages and five perps."

"Roger. I'm on my way, tell them to hang in there."

The blonde nodded again and cut the transmission as Videl pulled her jet-copter around towards the east of the city and set off to get her usual dose of tension relief.

_You know sometimes I really do love the fact that the police here are incompetent. So many faces for me to smash._

***SOMETIME EARLIER AT THE SON RESIDENCE***

"Mom is this really necessary?"

Chi chi gave her eldest son a glare and helped him straighten out his tie. She had him dressed in a white collared shirt and tie and black slacks with dress shoes. She let out an exasperated sigh and planted her fists on her hips.

"Alright there mister, it's your first day of school and you need to make a good impression! How else are you going to do that if you don't dress sharp?"

Gohan facepalmed with a smirk, and was rewarded with a sharp pain in the back of his head as Chi chi materialized her pan seemingly out of nowhere and hit him with it. He winced and rubbed the back of his head to reduce the pain.

_I'll never figure out how she does that. It could come in handy to have something like that later._

"Mom, kids these days don't wear collared shirts and ties to school. You convinced me to go to school to make friends, and I need to try and fit in, not stick out. Trust me on this one, I've seen enough on my outings into town with Lime."

She crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at him, but didn't say anything. She turned on her heel and walked back downstairs to continue working on breakfast. Gohan sighed and began to undress. He paused a moment to watch Goten and Ria playing around outside. He smiled softly as he watched, wondering what they would do without him for a whole day. Shaking his head and chuckling, he turned to his closet and went to work.

Chi chi finished up her last batch of pancakes, stacking them neatly on top of the already huge pile in the middle of the table, along with a bowl full of scrambled eggs, a bowl of rice, and a huge vat of syrup. She smiled at her handiwork. The boys all had their pride in their ability to fight, but she knew she could tame them all with just her cooking.

"Kids! Dinner is ready!"

The words hadn't even fully left her mouth before Goten and Ria were already at the table, bouncing excitedly in their chairs. Chi chi cleared her throat as the two reached for the pancakes, freezing them in their tracks. She lifted a single eyebrow at them, daring them to continue. They both gulped and pulled their hands back to their laps and muttering apologies to the table. She smiled at them and turned to her eldest son as she heard him enter the room.

She almost had to do a double take as she took his appearance in. She had thought he looked good in a shirt and tie, but now he looked – well for lack of a better term – sexy! He had put on a clean pair of denim jeans and a pair of sneakers, and he had donned a black button-up shirt that he had left untucked with the sleeves partially rolled up. The top of the shirt was undone down to the second button, partially showing the white t-shirt he wore underneath it, and the leather chord tied to his ever-present ring could just barely be seen poking out of the shirt around his neckline. Over all, the getup hid almost all of his extremely well-defined muscles, but still showed off his broad shoulders and trim figure. His hair stood up on end in his usual careless style, and a smirk was present on his face as he watched his family's reaction.

"Whoa Gohan you look so cool! Mommy can I dress up like that too?"

Goten looked up at his mother as Ria giggled at her, and his face contorted to a confused pout.

"Ummm… mommy?"

_GRANDBABIES!_

The Son Matron shook her head and grinned at her eldest son as he sat at the table.

"Gohan, remind me not to disagree with you when it comes to dressing for an occasion again?"

Gohan flashed her a son grin and scratched the back of his head nervously.

"So… uh can we eat now mom?"

Chi chi rolled her eyes and waved absently at the pile of food in front of the three demi's signaling for the feast to begin.

Within minutes, all of the food on the table was cleared into the stomachs of the three children, leaving a small pile of dishes for Chi chi to clean up. Gohan checked the time on his watch before getting up and collecting his black messenger bag which contained his lunch capsule and basic school supplies, and headed for the door. The two children trailed him with sad expressions.

"Bye mom, I'm off to school. I'll let you know how it goes when I get back alright?"

"Bring home a girl sweety!"

Gohan rolled his eyes and shook his head before stepping out into the day and turning to his younger siblings. They stood there looking at him with those horribly adorable puppy-dog eyes that turned him into a hopeless mess of melted resolve.

"Awww don't look at me like that squirts, it's just for a few hours each day! You be good for your mother okay?"

The two children sniffled a bit and jumped forward, attaching themselves to him in a pair of bone crushing hugs on each of his legs. He ruffled their hair affectionately before gently prying them off of him and jumping into the sky. With the Son home behind him, he turned in the direction of Satan City and shot off into the distance, far faster than anyone could track him.

***TWENTY MINUTES LATER***

Gohan walked down the streets of Satan City. He had passed a billboard on the side of the road earlier with a huge picture of Hercule pasted across the front of it, stating "home to the savior of the world". He'd scowled at that. Today was going to be a long day if there were constant reminders of the "world savior" and the Cell games. It was a subject that he was keen to steer clear of, lest he let his emotions take over again and he do something stupid.

He took in the city as he walked, wondering why people would want to live in such a place, where living spaces were stacked quite literally on top of each other with no room for movement. He glanced at his watch and sighed. It had taken a lot less time to reach the city than he had imagined. The training he had been doing the last seven years had really paid off. His thoughts were interrupted when a loud clang could be heard as something impacted the stop sign directly over his head.

His ears rang for a second and he glared at the offending object. He noticed that there was a hole punched through the thin metal, and looked in the opposite direction. About a half mile up the road, he could see a couple police cars parked outside the front of what appeared to be a bank or some other government building. He heard the faint chatter of gunfire and sighed.

"Why is it that whenever I go around normal people, something stupid happens and I have to step in?"

He pulled his bag from around his shoulder and quickly peeled off his black shirt, tucking it inside the messenger bag. He looked around and extended his senses to feel any nearby ki and, feeling none, transformed effortlessly into super saiyan.

_If I must make an appearance, might as well go as something I won't be recognized as._

He darted off towards the scene, closing the distance in a matter of seconds. Deciding to wait a little longer before making his presence in the city known, he leapt into the air, hovering over the fight a moment to determine if he was really needed. He noticed that the police were outgunned by the robbers, and decided he'd had enough when he saw one of the cops go down with blood spurting from a hole in his arm.

He dropped to the ground in front of the vehicle, and waved slowly at the driver, who looked at him in shock before pulling a handgun out from somewhere in the car and leaning out the window. Gohan smirked and threw his fist forward and down, straight through the hood of the car and into the engine compartment. The driver's eyes went wide and he fumbled with the gun in his hand, trying to point it at the teenager. Gohan continued to smirk as one by one, the criminals turned their heads to look at him in disbelief. He pulled his hand out of the hood, and removed the engine with it.

The criminals blanched and dropped their jaws in disbelief. Finally the man on the back of the technical swiveled the machine gun mounted on the back to point at the young demi-saiyan and opened fire. Gohan merely flicked the engine at the man, sending it crashing into him and another man before rolling away down the street fifty feet, trailing the broken bodies of the now unconscious men. The three remaining criminals all pointed their guns at the demi-saiyan who rolled his eyes and scowled.

"Why is it that you people never take a hint? I just threw an engine block at you!"

Not heeding his remark, the three opened fire and unloaded their weapons at the young saiyan, who seemingly just stood there. When the gunfire stopped, the blonde haired man just stood there a moment, one fist held forward. He opened his hand and let all the bullets he had caught fall from his grasp with a loud tinkling sound.

"My turn."

Faster than any of them could track, he darted between the first two, gently tapping them with the back of his hand on the back of the head, knocking them out cold. The driver of the vehicle stared wide-eyed at the spot where the kid had been standing a moment before, and started when he heard the clatter of weapons hitting the concrete along with his other two comrades. He spun his head every which way, trying to spot the man who had brought down his team.

"Boo."

The man jumped and then slumped forward over the steering wheel, unconscious from the blow Gohan had delivered through the open window. Before any of the people surrounding the bank could fully understand what had just happened, he sped off at super speed back in the direction he came from and collected his bag. He donned his black shirt again and slung his bag over his shoulder and resumed his walk to school.

_Idiots._

***AT THE BANK***

Videl landed her 'copter and dismounted. Not even bothering to capsulize it, she stormed over to the officer who was coordinating the cleanup and treatment of the one wounded officer.

"Hey! What the hell happened here? I got a call from dispatch saying that you guys needed some help, so why are all these goons already out cold and cuffed? And how did _that_ happen?"

She pointed over to the engine block laying in the middle of the road, fifty feet away from the truck it belonged to. The officer scratched his head in confusion and placed his other hand on his hip.

"To be completely honest with you I have no idea Videl. One minute we're taking fire from these five, and then just after sergeant Shaffer got hit this weird guy shows up out of nowhere and takes them all on! He literally pulled the engine out of that truck with one hand and hit two of the bastards with it by throwing it at them! I've never seen anything like it before! He moved so fast that we didn't even see him take out the other three, all we know is that none of them are going to recover any time soon."

She stared at him in disbelief. Nobody was capable of the things that were being described here. Well, except for, supposedly the fighters from the Cell games. But those were all tricks, or so she believed. It wouldn't surprise her if her father knew the truth about that too and had lied to her, but she figured that he'd have told her about that at the same time as his first revelation.

"Alright fine, well… what did this guy look like?"

"Well he was a young man, probably in his early twenties judging by his build. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt and he had Blonde hair that stuck right up in the air. I swear to Kami he was glowing gold too, but I may have just bee hallucinating. I didn't get a good look at his face though so I couldn't give you a description of that. Some of the boys are already calling him the Gold Fighter."

She nodded and started making mental notes of the guy. It wasn't much to go off of, but she had a rough image of him in her head, and her thoughts were immediately dragged off to the limited amount of footage of the Cell games that she had seen.

_Gold fighter huh? I wonder…_

She surprised herself when she realized that she wasn't even really mad at the Gold fighter for taking her job. The possibility that he was one of the mysterious fighters from the Cell games intrigued her. Secretly, she wanted him to show up again, if nothing else, just to ask him if it was true.

Her thoughts were interrupted by her watch alarm telling her she needed to get to school. She turned on her heel and ran to her 'copter, waving over her shoulder at the cop before mounting and taking off. She would have to deal with the Gold fighter later.

***HALF AN HOUR LATER – ORANGE STAR HIGH***

Videl sat at her desk with her head resting in her hand and a bored expression on her face. Her right hand was absentmindedly drawing a sketch of the Gold fighter, much to the amusement of her best friend.

"Oooh Videl! You probably saw the Gold fighter in person didn't you! Come on tell me, is he as cute as everyone has been saying?"

Videl glanced over at Erasa, who was bubbling over with excitement as usual, and practically quaking in her seat. Videl just rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair with her arms crossed and propped her feet up on the desk.

"No Erasa, I didn't actually see him. He left the scene before I got there, and nobody _actually _saw his face, so I don't think that the cute factor has been accounted for. Besides I don't care what he looks like, I want to know who he is and why he's coming into my city and taking my job."

Erasa sighed and placed her head on her hands, drifting off into a day-dream of her and the Gold fighter. On Videl's other side, a chuckle rumbled out from the arrogant jock that was Sharpener. She glared over at him to see he was also leaning back with his legs stretched out under his desk and his arms behind his head, showing of his bulging muscles. His long blonde hair fell around his shoulders and he was wearing a sneer and staring up at the ceiling.

"Come on babe, you know that this is a blessing in disguise right? If the guy takes your job, then that means you'll finally get enough time to go out with me remember? Besides, I bet I could take him."

She snorted and rolled her eyes.

_Typical Sharpener. Thinking with his dick._

She started glancing around the room, absent-mindedly taking notes on everyone in there. Sharpener noticed her steady glare and cocked an eyebrow at her.

"You don't think he's someone in our school do you? Come on Videl nobody here is cool enough to be the gold fighter except me."

She turned to him and gave him her best glare, causing him to sit upright and hold up his hands defensively.

"N-Not that I'm admitting it or anything! C'mon don't look at me like that, you know I was at the dojo this morning, just like every morning. I _can't _be the Gold fighter!"

She smirked and sat forward in her desk again picking up her pencil and scratching out the sketch she had made.

"I know you're not Sharpener, you can't throw an engine block fifty feet through the air."

She sneered at him as he huffed and crossed his arms, sitting back in the chair with an indignant expression on his face. Before he could give her a counter argument, the classroom door opened and their first instructor came in. He was a greyed old man wearing his usual vest and tie getup and a grouchy expression below his balding crown. He walked to his desk and put his things down before turning to the class.

"Good morning class, today we have the honor of welcoming a new student to join us. He received full marks on all of his entrance exams, and I think all of you could learn something valuable from him. Come on in my boy."

The class rumbled with murmurs as people began discussing what they think the new kid would look like. Some words such as "nerd", "geek", and "dweeb" were heard before the door opened again and the whole class fell completely silent. Videl glanced up from her paper at the sudden quiet and almost dropped her pencil in surprise.

_Holy shit _that _is the new class nerd? There's no way! He's… Well shit he's hot!_

She shook her head and glanced at her best friend, who was staring at the new boy with hearts in her eyes. She groaned inwardly.

_Great… Here we go again._

"Well go ahead and introduce yourself."

Videl returned her gaze to the new kid as he turned to face the rest of the class, and she got her first good look at him. He was dressed like he didn't have a care in the world, the casual rolling of his sleeves and the partially unbuttoned shirt fit perfectly with the comfortable looking jeans and spiky hair on his head. She was a bit startled when she noticed that he had a scar running from his forehead to his left cheek and those eyes… They were midnight black, just like his hair, and they looked cold and hard. To her, he looked a lot less like a nerd, and a whole lot more like a war veteran.

He looked around at the class for a second, his expression a neutral mask of seriousness. His harsh gaze took in all the faces before finally speaking. His voice was calm and confident, with a deep rumble that gave off the impression that he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Hey guys, my name is Gohan Son. This is my first year of public schooling, so take it easy on me huh?"

He smirked at the end of his statement, letting the rest of the class know that he really didn't care what they did. Videl watched him carefully. Taking her usual mental notes

_Okay so Gohan. He looks decently well built, if a little bit on the thin side. He's got a scar across his face that makes him look like a war vet, and he carries himself with such confidence._

She couldn't deny that she thought that Gohan was extremely attractive. And that's exactly why she already hated him. That sort of attraction was a weakness she couldn't afford to indulge. She glared down at the new student.

"Alright son, go ahead and find a seat."

Before Gohan could even so much as glance around for an empty one, Erasa stood up and waved at him from the second to last row.

"Up here cutie! There's a seat right here!"

Videl noticed him take on a very faint pink hue at her words, but he nodded and strode up the steps and settled himself in the seat next to the bubbly blonde. He gave her a small smile and a nod in thanks, and opened up his bag to pull out his things.

"Hi, I'm Erasa! With an E. This is my friend Videl and that guy over there is Sharpener."

He glanced past her to look at the other two. Sharpener absently waved his hand towards him, still staring off into space while Videl just glared at him.

_Sheesh what's got her panties in a twist?_

Not letting the glare get the better of him, he returned his gaze to the blonde next to him as she continued to babble. Videl furrowed her brow and stared in disbelief at Gohan. He had _really _just ignored her glare like it was nothing. The same glare that turned criminals into a babbling mess of nerves.

_Yet another thing to not like._

"So Gohan guess who Videl's pop is!"

Videl started at the mention of her father and watched the new guy for his reaction. He glanced over at her for a second before returning his eyes to the blonde, raising one eyebrow in question.

"She's the only daughter of Mr. Satan!"

Surprise. Regret. Disbelief. These were all things that she had been expecting. But she didn't anticipate the look she received from him.

His eyes hardened instantly, and he sent her a glare, only for a moment that completely froze her in place. Her heart seemed to be squeezed into nothingness for a second there, and her brain refused to register anything. His glare dissipated to be replaced by the normal calm and neutral expression.

"Interesting. What's it like, being a celebrity's daughter?"

His voice rumbled out to her, and she could hear the strain behind the words, even if it was masked well. The question startled her out of her numbed state, and she shook her head gently. She tried to control her trembling hands and regain her voice.

_What the fuck was that?!_

"No different than your life I'm sure."

He raised an eyebrow at that, and she was sure that she saw the corner of his mouth twitch upwards for a second. He returned his attention to Erasa as she spoke. The blonde was seemingly unaware of his exchange that had just happened and just kept on going, trying to get to know Gohan better. Videl couldn't yet control her heart rate and she tore her gaze away from him to stare at her still-trembling hands.

_How does he have this sort of power over me? Who _is _this guy?_

**A/N: Alrighty guys there ya go! The start of Gohan's first day, and I think a little more in-line with what I would expect from the ultimate bad-ass of the universe in disguise. Keep your eyes open, i'll have the next one up as soon as I can!**


	9. Alter Ego

**Hey all, i'm sorry this one took so much longer to put up, but things have been pretty rough at work the last few days (Have been effectively working 16 hour days between actually being there and being at home), but I promise i'm not slacking off on you guys! **

**This one is a continuation of the last chapter! As i'm sure you guessed this explains what i've been debating since I started writing this: Will there be a "Saiyaman" character? I'm not going to confirm or deny because that would just ruin the surprise! **

**Thanks all for the reviews, they really do mean a lot to me (Yes even the "I'm not impressed" one: Just means I need to work on it a bit!). I just ask that if you have a question for me you review from your account, not as a guest so that I can reply via message. Thanks! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 9: Alter Ego**

***LUNCH PERIOD – GOHAN'S FIRST DAY***

In spite of his first assumptions, Gohan was actually starting to like being at high school. He wasn't used to there being so many people, and he was grateful that he wasn't getting too much attention. For the most part, people would only look at him for a second and then continue on with whatever it was that they were doing.

_If this is what it's like to fit in, then this is going to be a lot easier than I thought. _

He strolled outside to find a shady spot under a tree and pulled his lunch capsule. He sat down and clicked the button, decapsulizing a relatively small meal of a few chicken breasts, a couple bowls of rice and some of his mother's stir fry. He dug in, eating at a human pace, enjoying the meal his mother had prepared for him. It wasn't enough to fill him up, but he would be able to resist the hunger for the rest of the day at least.

"Hey Gohan! What are you doing out here?"

Gohan looked up from his bowl of stir fry and swallowed as Erasa came running up to where he was sitting, Sharpener and Videl in tow. Sharpener was eyeing the young demi's food with a look of disbelief and Videl was looking everywhere but at Gohan, with her arms crossed. Gohan smirked at that. She hadn't really done anything to him, but she was a reminder to him of Mr. Satan, and by extension, the Cell games. Causing her discomfort brought a sort of grim satisfaction to his injured psyche.

He put his food bowl down and motioned for them to sit with him. Erasa giggled happily and plopped herself down next to her new crush with her knees held up to her chest, and sharpener sat across from him, leaning back on his hands and stretching his legs out in front of him with a puzzled look on his face. Videl just stood away from the group, watching some of the other students mill about the courtyard.

"Hey nerd boy, is all of this yours?"

Gohan looked around for the 'nerd boy' in question before he realized that Sharpener was talking to him. He raised an eyebrow at him in silent question, his jaw set and a firm glare in his eyes.

"Whoa chill out man, I'm just messing with you! No offense meant!"

Gohan smirked a little bit and he tilted his head to the side to consider the blonde.

"It's okay _Sharpie_, none taken."

Sharpener half glared at the saiyan while Erasa giggled at the new nickname.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny Gohan. But you didn't answer my question, is all of this yours? There's enough here to feed like… Three people!"

Gohan shrugged and picked up his bowl of stir fry again. Nodding towards the rest of the pile.

"My mom likes to make sure I eat well. If you're interested you can have some. But be warned, the stir fry is mine. Mom's specialty."

Sharpener happily obliged, pulling up a chicken breast for himself and digging in. Erasa looked into the bowl of stir fry, wondering what was so good about it. It just looked like stir-fry to her.

"Hey Gohan, are you sure I can't try some of that? I'm curious about it now."

She put on her best smile and he looked at her exasperated for a second before picking up a piece of beef from the bowl with the chop sticks and offering it to her. She giggled before leaning in and taking the beef with her teeth, chewing on it slowly while the other three looked at her. Her face lit up and she stared at the bowl in disbelief.

"Kami Gohan, your mother's stir fry has to be some of the best I've ever tried! Who is she?"

He considered her for a second, trying to determine if she and the others were trustworthy enough to let into his life. Sure a name was nothing, but sooner or later they would want more information. The only one he was concerned about was the Satan girl, but then, what was his mother's name to them?

"My mom's name is Chi chi, and her cooking is so good because she spends most of her day cooking."

Videl looked at him for the first time since their introduction earlier. The name rang a bell in her head but she couldn't determine where from. Gohan noticed he had her attention and turned his attention to her. She paled slightly and averted her eyes, staring at a squirrel clambering up the side of the next tree over. Erasa noticed her best friend's actions and tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Hey Videl what's up? Why don't you come over here and sit down with us? I promise, Gohan won't bite! Will you Gohan?"

Gohan fought to keep his face neutral as he felt the urge to burst out laughing. The implications of what she had said were not lost on him since his short discussion with the prince of all saiyans on mating. He instead settled on smirking and shaking his head before returning to his bowl of food.

_Not on your life, Erasa._

Videl hesitantly turned around and walked over to where Sharpener was sitting and dropped down next to him, crossing her legs and lacing her fingers together in her lap. The blonde quirked his eyebrows at Gohan with a confident smirk and moved to wrap an arm around Videl's shoulders. She turned her head slowly and glared at him before he could, and he backed off with a nervous grimace, causing Erasa to giggle and Gohan to chuckle. The two across from him stared at him with wide eyes. Videl frowned and stared at the grass in front of her.

_Whoa, he is capable of laughter!_

'Not only that honey, but it makes him that much sexier to you when he does doesn't it?'

_Shut up! You shouldn't even be in here! _

'Videl, why resist it? You know he's handsome and probably has a great body, judging by his frame! Erasa seems to have caught on, why don't you?'

_I don't care about that! He's a cold prick and I think he hates me! Did you see the way he glared at me when he found out who I was?_

'Well then why don't you ask and find out?'

_No. Shut up and go away._

She shook her head and noticed that Erasa was waving a hand in front of her face.

"Videl? You awake in there girl?"

"Yea Erasa, why?"

The blonde huffed and placed her hands on her hips. Videl noticed that the boys had already left to go get ready for their next class: PE. She raised an eyebrow at her best friend, giving her a 'what are you staring at me like I've grown a third eye for?' type look.

"Girl I think you're losing it. You were sitting there for a solid two minutes not doing anything. What's up? You know you can't hide anything from me! I'll figure it out sooner or later."

Videl stood and crossed her arms, glaring at her friend.

"It's Gohan, our new resident badass. I don't know Erasa, something about him bothers me, like he's hiding something, and you know how much I hate liars."

Erasa pouted at her best friend before her eyebrows shot up towards her short hair and her mouth slowly spread into a smile. She narrowed her eyes at the raven haired girl and grinned evilly at her.

"Oh girl you thought you could hide it from me?"

Videl furrowed her brow and scowled at her friend. She knew where this was going.

"Before you even start Erasa, no. Just, no."

Erasa grinned like she had just gotten a confirmed 'yea I think he's hot' from her best friend and turned to walk back into the school building.

"Deny it all you want Videl. Don't worry I won't get in your way, but you'd better make your move before someone else nabs him!"

Videl watched her leave with a shocked expression until she entered the building. She pinched the bridge of her nose and scowled with frustration.

_How the hell does she know these things? Gah, she doesn't know anything, there's nothing there to know!_

She sighed and followed her friend.

***PE CLASS***

Gohan emerged from the locker-room wearing a loose long sleeve shirt and a pair of sweat pants. Sharpener noticed that he hadn't removed his undershirt when changing, but didn't give it a second thought.

_Probably doesn't want to be embarrassed or something._

The two of them made their way outside where the rest of the class was already assembled. The coach, a middle aged man with a bushy moustache wearing a black tank top that showed off his lean muscles, smiled at the class and flipped a bat up to rest on his shoulder.

"Alright boys and girls, as I'm sure you've noticed we're going to play a game of baseball today! Sharpener and Videl, normal teams, three innings!"

He paused a minute and noticed Gohan standing there with his arms crossed.

"Uhhh let's see. Gohan right? You're going to be filling in on Videl's team. Alright let's go, Sharpener, your team is up first!"

He tossed the blonde the bat and walked over to the home plate while the rest of the class spread out, collecting gloves and running out into the field or filing into the dugout. Videl glanced nervously over at the other teen left standing there before making her way to him, putting on the best glare she could muster. He noticed her approaching and turned towards her, unfolding his arms and resting his hands on his hips.

_Damn he's tall. Why didn't I notice he's so tall?_

'You're just short darling.'

_Shut up!_

"You know how to play Gohan?"

She made her voice come out as confident as possible while looking up into those cold onyx eyes. His neutral frown shifted into a smirk and his eyes seemed to grow distant for a second.

"I might have played a couple times."

_More like Yamcha got me to play a game or two with him and his buddies from his team, and I thoroughly embarrassed him. Probably ought to refrain from doing that this time. I hope she doesn't have me pitch, it's hard to keep my strength down low enough for that._

"Good, I'm sticking you in right field."

His smirk deepened and his expression became devious. He made a comical looking bow and pulled out the best mock-butler voice he could.

"As you wish madam, right field it is madam."

He turned on his heel and walked out to right field, grabbing a glove on the way. Videl stood there staring after him, her face a mask of rage.

_Why that arrogant little shit! Who the hell does he think he is?!_

She growled and made her way to the pitcher's mound. The game started and immediately, Sharpeners team took the lead, getting up two runs after the first inning while Videl's had none. As of yet, nothing had been sent towards right field, and Gohan hadn't had his turn to bat quite yet. But he didn't mind. He wasn't keen to run the risk of showing off his abilities.

Second inning rolled around with no home runs for either team, and Gohan still hadn't done anything. Third inning came, and it was sharpeners turn to bat. Videl narrowed her eyes and adjusted her cap so that the sun was out of her eyes. She glared at his confident expression and imagined the ball in her hand was a grenade that would explode if he hit it. She smirked and wound up for the throw, letting it loose right over the plate. Sharpener shifted his weight back and with a loud crack sent the ball flying over right field.

Gohan saw the ball coming and determined that it was going to land just outside the fence. He thought the situation over quickly, deciding that he could still catch it without alarming anyone by doing something that would seem inhuman. He turned and bounded towards the fence, jumping as he neared and planting his feet on the top of the chest-height fence. He glanced up and saw the ball about to pass over him. He jumped and twisted in the air, raising his glove and catching the ball with a satisfying _thunk_. He looked over at the stunned face of the runner who had just left second and gently 'tossed' the ball to the second baseman, who caught the ball and tossed it back to Videl, who just stared at him incredulously.

_Oh come on! I didn't jump twenty feet in the air or anything! I just hopped off the fence, any one of these kids could do it if they wanted to!_

Gohan sighed and jogged towards the dugout, seeing as his double play had just gotten the third out. His team shook their heads before following him, still unsure if they had just seen him do that.

"Gohan that was one hell of a play! Have you ever considered joining the baseball team here? We'd love to have you!"

Gohan shrugged at the coach and gave him a nervous smile.

"No, sorry. I've only ever played recreationally, and I don't intend on changing it."

"Ah well that's a shame. Well good job son!"

Gohan nodded and sighed, glad that they hadn't been too shocked by his performance. He sat in the dugout, waiting for his turn to bat. His teammates watched excitedly as one batter hit a ball into left field, making it to second base while Erasa fumbled with the ball. Then another hit one right at Sharpener, who caught it before the runner on second even had a chance to leave. Then Videl was up, and hit the ball deep into right field, allowing the other runner to make it to home and scoring their first point. Then it was Gohan's turn.

He stepped up to the plate, bat in hand and took a lazy experimental swing with it, trying to gauge how hard he should hit. He settled himself in and waited patiently. Sharpener wound up and unleashed the ball right at Gohan. Gohan leaned back just enough to avoid the ball and glared at the blonde, who gulped and scratched the back of his neck nervously.

_That's how you want to play punk? Try this one on for size._

Sharpener wound up again, and threw the ball hard, curving it in from the outside. Gohan smirked and lazily swung the bat forward and hitting the ball dead on. In a puff of white dust the ball ruptured, and the rubber interior flew off over center field, leaving the leather skin to float right over to Sharpener's stunned face and land on top of his head. The core of the ball flew out of the field and into the street beyond where it crumbled as it got run over by a semi-truck.

Silence reigned after the crack of the ball and Gohan dropped the bat at his side and started jogging lightly towards first base.

_Okay that was stupid. Maybe I shouldn't have gone that far._

His team started cheering madly, amazed that they had been lucky enough for him to end up on their team. All except for Videl, who stared at him with wide eyes along with the rest of the other team. He jogged past first and stopped right before second and crossed his arms in front of Videl.

"You know, you should probably run home short stuff."

Videl started when he spoke to her, then huffed when she realized what he had said. She turned and ran around third base towards home, ignoring the giggles of the girl that was on second base.

_Okay the more I learn about this guy the more creeped out I get. He's good looking, he's smart, he's a pretty good athlete, and he's strong. Oh _and_ he's an arrogant prick._

'He's just a hunk! Admit it!'

_Shut up! Nobody asked you!_

***LAST PERIOD – OPEN STUDY***

"Wait. You mean to tell me that you know _the _Yamcha? You know the Bandit?"

Gohan shrugged off Sharpener's question, and resumed writing down the answers to that nights Calculus questions.

"You do realize Sharpener, that even celebrities have friends. Just look at you and Erasa."

Sharpener furrowed his brow in concentration, considering his logic. Eventually he just shrugged it off and returned to his own homework. He chuckled as another thought occurred to him.

"How do I know you're not just making that up? Next thing you know, you're going to tell us you know the gold fighter too."

Gohan halted his pencil and looked at him quizzically, earning a surprised look from the three teens seated to his right. Erasa was the first one to recover.

"Geez Gohan, where have you been all day? The gold fighter is a mysterious new crime fighter that appeared this morning over at east city bank! He beat up all the bad guys before our Videl here could even get in and do her stuff! I don't know exactly what he looks like, but he's supposed to be a young man in his early twenties with spiky golden hair and super strength! People have been saying he ripped the engine out of a car and caught bullets with his hands!"

Hearts appeared in her eyes and she stared off dreamily into space with a goofy grin on her face. Gohan just quirked an eyebrow at her, wondering how he should react to this.

"Did, uh… Did anyone see his face by chance? Any way to identify him?"

Videl looked at him with a sideways glance from where her head rested on her left hand, realizing that her friend was still lost in dream-land. She sighed and furrowed her brow. The same question had been running through her mind when she wasn't worried about being around Gohan.

"No, nobody got a good look at his face. If he turns up again though, I'll see if I can't do anything about that."

Not wanting to give away any signs of relief, he nodded and returned to his homework, hiding his expression.

_Too close. Only one day here and they're making a legend out of me. At least they got my age off a little bit, maybe that will throw them off. I can't let them see my face if I have to step in again though, or someone will surely recognize me._

He glanced back over to Videl, who was doodling another sketch of the gold fighter on a piece of scratch paper.

_In fact I might need to do something completely different if I do, or she _will_ figure it out. Can't have that happening now can I? I bet Bulma can help me out._

"You know Gohan we don't really know anything about you."

He started and looked over at Erasa, who was looking at him with a hopeful expression. Behind her, Videl had stopped her doodling and was listening intently and Sharpener was watching from behind her head, leaned back in his chair again. Gohan leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers together in his lap.

"Well what do you want to know?"

She looked thoughtful for a second before she smiled sweetly and settled her head in her hand to gaze at him.

"Well for instance, I don't even know how old you are! I mean if I saw you on the street I would think you were in your twenties already. I dunno you just look older, what with the awesome scar and all!"

He considered the question, and not seeing any way that the information could be used against him, decided to come clean.

"Well I'm eighteen as of a couple weeks ago. Like I said I've been homeschooled all my life."

She pouted a little bit.

"Darn you're older than all of us. We're still just seventeen! Videl will be eighteen here in a little over a month though! You say you were homeschooled, but where are you from?"

He hesitated, wondering what he should tell her. He knew it wasn't normal for people to travel five hours to and from school each day. He thought about it for a second before he found an alibi.

"West city during the school year. My godmother stays there with her husband and son, but my home is in the Ox kingdom. 439 Mountain area?"

It wasn't a complete lie, Bulma was his godmother, and he did have his own room at Capsule Corporation. But he figured he would leave that little detail out. Erasa's eyes widened and Videl actually glanced over at him confused.

"Wow no wonder you were homeschooled! You live out in the middle of nowhere! At least west city is only a twenty minute drive."

"Yea, my mom thought it would be a good idea to make friends with people my own age, so she decided to send me here for my senior year."

He shrugged and started back on his homework. He felt their three gazes on him and glanced up to see their incredulous expressions.

"You mean to tell me that you have no friends back home? You've got to be kidding me, how do you spend your time?!"

He furrowed his brow, not really understanding her question. What did she mean how does he spend his time? He had his little siblings, Lime, and the Z-fighters to occupy his time. Before he could ask her, she shot forward and latched onto his arm, startling him. He tensed and glared at her, but softened it quickly when she looked at him with what he could only describe as pity.

"You need to go out with us and have some fun! Not having any friends? I can only imagine what it must have been like."

He wanted to be mad at the statement, but she just sounded so sincere and apologetic. He sighed and his expression softened even more. He let a weak smile play on his lips and he nodded. Videl quickly averted her eyes and stared down at her paper.

_Wow he _actually _smiled. That wasn't his smirk that we've seen all day, that was an actual smile. It's amazing he doesn't look like a total hard-ass when he smiles._

'I told you, don't even try to resist him!'

_Get out of here! He wasn't smiling at me, and besides it's not like I have any real interest in him! I'm sure he's just like every other guy anyways._

"Alright Erasa, you win. But not today alright? I've got some things I need to take care of over in west city."

She pouted again but only for a second as she looked up into his onyx eyes. Her eyes lingered on the scar across his left eye and her brow furrowed. She seemed hesitant, not sure if she wanted to say what was on her mind. Finally curiosity got the better of her.

"Hey Gohan? What-… How did you get that?"

She pointed towards the scar and almost cringed when his eyes seemed to cloud over and his face set into a grimace as he was lost in thought about something. She glanced worriedly over at Videl who was watching him intently now, curious about what his answer would be.

Gohan was lost in thought, remembering the events of that day so many years ago. He felt shame wash over him as he remembered his childish decision to run away from his fears. How he had nearly killed himself that day by expending all of his energy, just letting it flow out of him. He glanced over to the blonde and felt a pang of guilt wash over him when he noticed she was staring at him with a scared expression. He hadn't meant to scare the girl, she just didn't realize what she had asked.

"A mistake."

Erasa knew she had hit a sensitive chord with her new classmate, and decided not to ask about it any further. Videl just stared at him. She could hardly believe the number of emotions that had shot through the young man's eyes in the few seconds he had been lost in his thoughts. In that little bit of time, the one that had dominated over them all, much to her surprise, was pain.

_What could cause him to be this way? I wonder what he was like before… This. Who are you really Gohan Son?_

***THAT EVENING AT CAPSULE CORPORATION***

"So let me make sure I understand Gohan… You want to know if I can make you a disguise that you can change into and out of quickly that completely hides your identity?"

Gohan nodded and leaned back into the couch, carefully watching the blue-haired genius as she lit a cigarette and dragged on it with a thoughtful expression. The now middle aged beauty was wearing a pair of grease-stained cover-alls that were undone and tied around her waist, revealing an orange t-shirt with the CC logo on the front. She looked over the sheet of paper in her hand that Gohan had just given her.

"You can do it right Bulma?"

She snorted and raised her eyebrow at him with a playful smirk.

"Please! Don't forget who you're talking to! I'll get it made for you, but it might take a day or two. You sure that this is what you're after looks wise? Seems a little dark doesn't it? And what's with the name? Bardock? What is that supposed to be?"

"Bardock is the name of my Grandfather. Dad's side, I got the name from Vegeta."

She set the paper down on her desk and gazed at her godson with her head tilted slightly to the side and a slight smile on her face.

"So you gonna tell me what this is all for? It's not like you to go out in public and show off."

He gave her a hurt expression, though he didn't disagree with her statement.

"I'm not going out there to show off Bulma, you know me better than that. You know mom convinced me to go to High school and the city has a serious criminal infestation. You know how hard it is for me to stand by and watch as innocent people get hurt."

"Well yea, but why the alter-ego?"

He laughed at her, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world sitting right in front of her nose.

"Hello? Earth to Bulma! How many humans are used to having someone fly around glowing gold and doing 'all those light tricks and stuff' in broad daylight?"

She giggled at his his impersonation of Hercule and rolled her eyes.

"Besides I'm trying to fit in while I'm at high school, not stick out. Theres already this one girl who is trying to track down the identity of the 'Gold Fighter', and she's in my class. On top of that she's the last person I want figuring it out."

Bulma's thoughtful expression turned into a devious smirk at the mention of a girl, and she quirked her eyebrows at him.

"Girl huh? Should I let Chi chi know? Who is she?"

She almost wished she could take her playful banter back as his face darkened and his eyebrows shot together in a glare. His jaw set and he stared at her, daring her to continue. She gulped and felt the color drain from her cheeks.

"Don't go there Bulma."

She couldn't help but notice that when he looked away he let his eyes soften and his expression became one of sorrow. Instantly her motherly affection towards the young demi kicked in and she strode over to sit next to him and wrap her arm around him in a one-armed hug. He didn't fight it, instead just allowing the gentle embrace.

_What's gotten into his head now? The only time he ever acts like this is when someone talks about Goku in front of him. Maybe it's this girl? I wonder…_

"Gohan who is she? I can tell that there's something bothering you, and it seems to be this girl."

He glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, feeling bad that he had scared her. He noticed that he seemed to be doing that a lot recently. He knew she was only messing around with him and honestly wanted the best for him. She did care for him as if he were her own son after all.

"Her name is Videl Satan."

Bulma raised an eyebrow in silent question.

"Yea the daughter of Hercule, and it's pretty hard for me to be around her."

_So that's why he's so serious about this. If she were to figure it all out, I bet she would blab it to the media… The apple doesn't fall far from the tree after all._

"She's the local crime-fighter for Satan City and she apparently takes the jobs too hard for the cops to handle, so it's likely I'll run into her more than once and this scar will tell her exactly who I am, super saiyan or no."

Bulma nodded her head and squeezed his shoulder in a reassuring manner. A loud rumbling noise echoed through the room and the both of them glanced down towards Gohan's stomach in shock. Bulma recovered and smirked, while gohan chuckled nervously. The Bluenette leaned in to peck her godson on the cheek and stood to get back to her work.

"Get out of here and go eat Gohan! I'm sure your mother is wondering where you are. Ill let you know as soon as this is ready for you."

***A LITTLE WHILE LATER – SATAN CITY***

Videl let out a battle cry and lunged towards her opponent. It was nearly dark, the orange sunset in the distance lighting the street with a dusky glow. The thief she was after had had her chasing his ass all over the east side of the city. Finally catching up to him, she had jumped from her 'copter and kicked him from his motorcycle. Her knee still ached from hitting the pavement when she rolled to decrease her momentum, but she didn't care right now. She was enjoying her favorite hobby: Baddie face smashing.

The thief went down hard, the kick snapping his head around to the side and knocking him unconscious, and the backpack containing the assorted jewelry crashed to the ground with a muffled tinkle. He hadn't put up as much as a fight as she had been hoping for, but she still felt good about it. She stood up straight and turned towards the oncoming police vehicles that had just caught up to them, waving her hand to let them know it was all good.

The police halted next to her and the fallen criminal and immediately began their work, thanking her for her assistance. She turned to leave the scene and stopped in her tracks.

_Holy shit it's him!_

Gohan stood atop a nearby apartment building, slightly amused at what he had just witnessed. The girl was relatively capable after all. He had seen the robbery as he was flying over Satan city on his way home from Capsule Corporation, and immediately transformed, having already removed his black shirt for the flight home, preferring to feel the wind on his skin. He had been about to zip down and deal with the thief when _she _had shown up.

Gohan decided that he would watch, if nothing else to see what she would do. If he needed to step in then he would, but he wasn't sure if that would be before or after the girl had made a fool of herself. Needless to say he was surprised at the daring maneuver she had performed by jumping out of her jet-copter while on the move to knock the guy off his bike, and even more surprised at the ferocity and power of her attacks. Gohan felt her ki fluctuate and spike as she fought and mused that she could actually be a good fighter if she were taught how to use the power she possessed.

He glared down at the girl who suddenly turned and looked directly at him. Realizing he had stayed just a moment too long, he shot off into the sky, headed northeast towards his home, leaving her way behind.

Videl just stared off into the sky in the direction the Gold Fighter flown off into.

_Wait… Fly? What the hell he can't fly! Why didn't anyone tell me he could fly? People can't fly without help, so he has to have been wearing a suit or something. But there was no sound, and no flash to indicate jets or anything. How bizarre. Crap I should have flown after him!_

Kicking herself mentally, she growled and mounted her jet-copter. She rubbed her temples and shut her eyes tight.

_You know, he did look a lot like those guys from the Cell games. It's too bad he wasn't close enough for me to make out clearly, I could have compared it to the footage to confirm it. _

She sighed in defeat and started up the 'copter, wondering what she would do about the Gold fighter.

**A/N: Alright guys, so this concludes the first day and sets up for the following chapters, which i've already started to write down ideas for. Fair warning, there is going to be a bit more character development during the OSH saga, and maybe my own twist on a common theme used in G/V fics, but I havn't decided yet. Oh and who was wondering if I would use a different name? My reason for Bardock? Well i'm not going to say because all of it will be explained in time! But let's see if anyone can figure it out before I explain it! As for the look? Just wait and see, all will be revealed soon!**


	10. Bardock

**Wow. This one took a lot longer than I anticipated to get up, and I apologize for the delay. As I mentioned in my last story, things have been pretty hectic, but I'm managing! This is a long one, and you guessed it: He will be unveiled today! Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Now, to answer a couple questions:**

**No. Broly is not alive still, but thank you for your concern whoever you are that brought it up on a guest account.**

**And to whoever put the Guest review saying that Bulma raped Gohan... I want to know who your dealer is, because whatever they gave you COMPLETELY messed you up... Just saying.**

**Anywhats, onto the story! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 10: Bardock**

***ONE WEEK LATER: OSH***

Gohan stared down at the teacher as he droned on and on about ancient history of Greek city-states, occasionally taking notes. It wasn't like he hadn't already gone through all of this before, but he figured he might as well take notes for the other three. During the one week he had been at school, he had found friends in the two blondes, especially in Sharpener. Having never had a guy friend his age, he discovered a lot about the ways humans interacted with others their age, including Sharpener's favorite topic: Girls.

Sure Gohan had spent a lot of time with Lime, but he had never really seen her in the light that Sharpener described the young women of the species. Sure he had noticed the changes that Lime had gone through, and he considered her quite a beautiful girl, but that wasn't all there was to her. For Sharpener a lot of the times it was more as objects of beauty than people themselves. It disgusted him. But he dealt with it, reasoning that the young man had been brought up differently than himself. Who was he to be the arbiter of the way men thought of women? And when it came down to it Sharpener never acted on his urges, including towards the two young women he was close friends with, so Gohan let it pass and didn't try to tell him off for it.

Besides his mentality towards women, Gohan thought he was an alright guy. The Blonde worked out a lot and was proud of his accomplishments, which was something Gohan could admire, regardless of how insignificant they were in his eyes. Mostly though, he just enjoyed their playful banter that was a constant. Over the first week of school, he had developed a sort of mutual understanding with the boy via their name calling and teasing, and the two of them got along far better than Gohan had originally thought possible.

Erasa was a complete opposite of what Gohan was used to with Lime. Where Lime was quiet and reserved, and always seemed to know what to say, Erasa was overly Bubbly and gossipy. While Gohan could have done without hearing her silly little giggles and sharp, high-pitched voice ringing in his ears constantly, the girl was genuinely nice. She was the first to offer her friendship within the school and seemed to have a genuine interest in getting to know him for who he was.

Not that he intended to let any of them know.

Videl was something completely different though. Gohan didn't like her. Plain and simple, the girl was a source of anguish for him. He hated her for being the daughter of Hercule, because of the link that she shared with him through the Cell games and her father's part in them. But at the same time, he admired her. She was always being called off by the police, and on more than one occasion he had decided to watch her work. She was a very skilled fighter, and she didn't do it for the attention or for money. He couldn't figure her out.

When he had learned that she was the daughter of Hercule, he had automatically assumed that she would be a snotty little brat that used her name to get what she wanted. He wondered often why she would instead be the selfless do-gooder that he had witnessed over the last few days instead. What made her the way that she was? She was smart, almost too smart for her own good, and he hated to admit that she was a very attractive woman with a fiery spirit.

But no matter how he looked at her, she was still a Satan by blood and name, and that was more than enough reason for him to keep her at a distance. He tolerated her presence for the sake of his two new friends, but he wouldn't willingly be left alone with her.

And he still enjoyed his hobby of subtly making her uncomfortable.

He had set a routine for school already: Go to class, chat with Erasa… Or rather let the Blonde talk his ear off about the local gossip. Go eat food with his two new friends and Videl, often bringing enough for all of them, and then finish off school with P.E. and the last two periods. Every once in a while Videl's watch would go off, and the class would hear the message from the chief of police asking for her help, to which she would disappear for several hours. Gohan would monitor her fights by sensing her ki and those that she was fighting, and almost always the criminals were far outmatched by the young woman. But he never made an appearance, much to Videl's irritation.

_Heh, just another way for me to mess with her._

He glanced down at his own new watch that Bulma had just given him two days before. It looked normal enough, but he knew that if he pressed the small red buttons on either side of the watch, his clothes would instantly be replaced by the suit of his own design that Bulma had created for him personally. He was jerked from his thoughts when he felt an unusually large amount of ki spike somewhere off in the core of the city.

_Is that a single human? It's not that big but still…_

He glanced over at Videl, who was still working intently on her homework in an attempt to get it done and out of the way early.

_I don't know if she could actually handle that… Maybe she could? Oh I bet that would be quite fun to watch I think. Might give me a chance to try this thing out too. I bet she'll be getting a ca-_

_**Beep-beep!**_

He laughed inwardly at the accuracy of what was thinking. The raven-haired girl sighed in irritation and answered the call with an annoyed look on her face.

"Videl here, go ahead."

"Videl, there's a situation going on at the Orange Star Hospital down-town! We have an unconfirmed number of terrorists holding the hospital staff and patients hostage, and we're currently waiting for their demands."

Gohan's blood began to boil as he listened to the chief talk. His earlier thoughts of watching the fight for entertainment were gone. He was immediately reminded of when Freeza had nearly eliminated the entire population of planet Namek, wasting the elderly and children who were helpless against him for no reason other than his own greed. Not wanting to show what he was feeling, or let his rage take him again, he took a deep breath and waited for the girl to leave.

"I'm on my way chief. See what you can do until I get there."

Without a word to their teacher, the raven-haired girl stood and sprinted from the classroom, not even earning so much as a sideways glance from the old man. Gohan stood from his seat and began making his way towards the door as well.

"Mr. Son, where are you off to in such a hurry? We're about to go into detail on the battle of –"

"Thermopylae? 490 B.C., 7000 Greeks held the hot gates for seven days against the superior numbers of Xerxes' Persians using superior tactics and sheer will. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to the bathroom."

He glared at the teacher, his hand on the door-knob, daring him to contradict him. Fortunately the older man caught on that there was something going on, and just motioned for him to continue on his way. Not wasting any time he pulled the door open and hastily took his leave. The class just stared after him, wondering what had gotten into the new kid.

Erasa furrowed her brow as she watched the door swing shut, a concentrated frown lining her face.

_Gosh, that was scarier to watch than when I asked him about the scar. Oh, I hope he doesn't do anything to get himself hurt! I still need to see if he's willing to go to Videl's party in two weeks!_

***FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, OUTSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL***

Videl landed her jet-copter and hopped out to meet the police chief as he strode to her ad-hoc landing pad in the middle of the street. She capsulized the machine and quickly joined the aging man.

"What do you have for me chief?"

The man stroked his moustache with a deep frown. He looked scared, more so than Videl had seen him in a long time.

"It's bad in there Videl. Most of the hospital staff are out already, along with about half the patients. It seems that the men inside are all former patients of the mental ward here, and more than a couple are former military. A lot of them have weapons, we don't know where from, and they're all there to try and rid themselves of their past it seems. There's one in particular named Xiang who was a student of General Tao, who is giving us a lot of resistance."

She furrowed her brow in concentration.

_Tao… Wait he was at the 23__rd__ Tournament! I remember him from what little footage my dad has of the older tournaments!_

"If you didn't know, Tao was once a mercenary for the Red Ribbon Army back when I was a younger man myself, and a natural born killer with exceptional skill."

That caught her by surprise. She had heard stories from the infamous Red Ribbon Army in their attempted conquest of the world, but she had not realized that he had been a part of it. She wondered if he was really as dangerous a man as the chief put on. She wondered if this Xiang character was just as good. Glancing at the graying man, she got all the confirmation she needed.

"Alright chief, what's the plan you've got set up so far?"

He pulled off his cap and leaned up against a police car parked in the street. He looked at her with complete exhaustion and despair.

"We already sent a team of SWAT in to try and neutralize them, but they went black about five minutes ago. None of them are responding to the calls, and we think that they're all down. We can't risk sending in a larger force or risk harming the Civilians still trapped in there. We don't even know how many of them there are! Quite honestly, I don't know what we're supposed to do besides wait for their demands. We have snipers in position around the building, but that's about the best I can do. These guys know what they're doing."

She dropped her gaze to the ground, staring between her feet as she tried to find a solution.

_Shit. Okay so think this one over. An unknown number of terrorists have taken control of the hospital, are mostly trained by the military, have weapons, and one of them is apparently a world class martial artist and killer. Think! Shit I bet that Gold fighter could take care of these jerks, after all the guy can catch bullets right? Special suit or not, that would be nice to have._

She only thought about it for a short while before coming to a conclusion.

"I'm gonna go in there chief. I'll try to neutralize the worst of them and get Xiang taken care of, I need you to prep the guys for evacuating the civilians okay?"

The chief paled and gaped at her like a fish out of water.

"V-Videl you can't possibly think you can take them all on can you? That's suici-"

"Chief! Get it together! Someone has to go in and do something before these whackos decide to off any of the hostages! I have the best chance and you know it!"

_I still wish I could catch bullets._

'Well just hold still and I'm sure they'll hit you'

_Oh shut up, that's not what I meant!_

Without listening to anything else the chief had to say, she hopped over the hood of the car and made her way to the hospital as quickly as her feet would allow. She made her way to a window and peaked in. Seeing it was empty, she pushed it open and climbed her way inside. She hadn't even made it to the door when she felt the floor vibrate and a loud crash echoed in from somewhere off in the distance.

_Fuck! That had better not have been explosives! Those sons of bitches!_

Not wasting any more time, she strode to the door and pulled it open just in time to see two men sprint by, rifles in their hands as they made their way towards the source of the noise. One of them hesitated a moment when the door opened, not making a connection to what he was seeing. Before he could even gasp in surprise, he found the short girl's knee buried in his gut, and received an elbow to the side of the head, knocking him out cold before he even hit the ground.

His partner halted in his run, looking over his shoulder just in time to see Videl land in a stance over his fallen comrade. He screeched to a halt, his boots squeaking on the polished tile floor, and turned to level his weapon at the girl. Videl wasted no time, darting forward as fast as she could. The man screamed and unleashed his assault rifle, not bothering to try and control the weapon as he sprayed at her with fully automatic hate and discontent. She ducked down and spun past the barrel of the weapon. She felt her senses sharpen as adrenaline coursed through her veins and she threw her right fist upwards in slow motion to connect with his jaw. His head shot backwards and blood spurted from the sides of his mouth as his teeth clamped down on his tongue and he immediately dropped his weapon.

He fell back clutching his jaw and bleeding mouth, screaming bloody murder the whole way. Videl quickly silenced him with a sharp kick to the side of the head. She turned on her heel and sprinted towards the west wing of the Hospital, mentally noting that the cafeteria and recreational rooms were located there as she passed some signs in the hallway.

_Probably should have entered the building on this side. Would have saved me the trouble of running through the entire hospital. Stupid!_

Regardless, she kept running, letting the adrenaline fuel her muscles as she ran. Rounding a corner, she was surprised to find a large hole in the wall, like someone had detonated a block of C4 in the hallway.

_What the fuck?_

Before she could even draw a conclusion as to what happened, a body flew through the hole and smacked into the opposite wall, sliding down to the floor of the hallway trailing blood down the perfect white tile. She crept up to the wall and was startled to see the cafeteria in complete disarray. Tables were thrown everywhere, and more than a couple had what appeared to be blood spattered all over them. To her horror she discovered that there were four hospital staff leaned up against the wall, all with obvious bullet wounds to their heads.

_What the hell did they do to deserve that?!_

She glared around, looking for the culprits and was pleased to see several of them laying in heaps all over the floor. More than one had enormous damage done to them, from shattered limbs that lay at odd angles, to holes that seemed to have been burned clean through them. There was even one who seemed to have had his skull smashed through the tile floor. She winced a bit and felt some of the color drain from her face.

_But who?..._

Then she saw him. Standing there, with his back to her and his shoulders rolled back and his arm in the air, just simply holding a man up by the throat. Her mind didn't really register what she was seeing. The man was covered in armor of black and green, and his head was hidden by a helmet. There wasn't a bit of skin that she could see, but he was huge. Standing at over six feet tall and from what she could tell, enough muscle to have scared even the best of her father's students. And he was just… _holding_ another man up by the throat, with his feet several inches off the ground as he struggled to break the grip of the masked man, who wasn't even flinching.

"Die, for all the anguish you've caused today."

The voice came out, dark and cold, without a hint of emotion. It was like it was from a machine instead of a person. It sent chills down Videl's spine and her eyes widened nearly as much as the struggling criminal's when she heard it. She stood transfixed as the masked man moved his other arm forward so that his palm was placed against the criminal's chest, and before she knew what was going on, a beam of light shot out of his back and exploded against the cafeteria wall. Blood shot from the new wound and she watched in horror as his eyes clouded over, and he became still.

_What the hell was that?! That's just like those tricks from the Cell games! Now that I think of it the fighters from the 23__rd__ tournament had those too! There has to be an explanation, that's just not possible. _

She snapped herself out of her stupor and climbed over the shattered wall to make her way towards the masked character, who dropped his victim.

Rage. That's what she felt at the moment he dropped the man. She couldn't believe she had really just witnessed the murder of another man, even if he was a criminal, without any apparent remorse. Whoever this guy was, she was going to make sure he got what was coming to him. She gritted her teeth and began to reach for his arm to spin him around and… Well she would figure out what she was going to do when she got there.

She never got the chance. He spun, snapping his arm up in front of her face, a ball of golden light crackling and simmering with energy aimed right for her nose. Her heart stopped in her chest and she froze in place with wide eyes as she stared at the light. Seconds passed and she couldn't even bring herself to move she was so scared. It was hot, the energy radiating from the ball was intense, and she swore that she didn't have any eyebrows left.  
_Okay, new theory… Those light tricks are most definitely not just for show. Oh god this is it, I'm about to buy it._

She clenched her fists and snapped her eyes shut against the glare of the light, waiting for the pain to hit her. Instead the heat began to dissipate and the light began to fade. She finally let out her breath when she felt it disappear and heard the rustle of clothing as she felt him lower his arm. Still not daring to open her eyes, she asked him the only question that she could force out of her uncooperative mouth.

"Why?"

She stood a there in complete silence, eyes shut tight against what she feared most in the world at that second. When his response came, she once again felt the chill his voice shot down her spine. It sounded a lot less robotic, but came out instead muffled.

_He's wearing a helmet. Duh!_

"Why did I not kill you? You do not deserve to die."

Feeling shot back into her limbs at his words, and when she remembered how he had just killed one of the criminals _she _was supposed to be capturing. She opened her eyes slowly and took in the man's appearance in detail.

He was wearing what appeared to be a black body-suit, made of some material she couldn't identify. It looked like a thick leather of some sort, but it contoured perfectly to the man's sculpted arms and well defined thighs. His lower legs were covered in calf-height boots that fit tightly against his large calves. His torso was covered in an armor breastplate that was a combination of flat black and a dull green, almost like olive drab. She noted that the armor itself looked like plastic, but wondered what plastic could handle military grade bullets without a scratch on it. His hands were covered with combat gloves that were bound to about half-way up his fore-arm, and were stretched taut over his large knuckles. She gazed up to where his face would have been.

_Dammit why am I so god damned short!_

His helmet was simple. It wasn't unlike a simple motorcycle helmet except for the fact that the tinted lens was sunk in slightly, and it was contoured a bit to mimic the shape of a face. Two small vents adorned the bottom of the helmet, and the left side bulged a tiny bit, indicating that he had communications of some sort in there. Most puzzling to her was that it didn't look like the helmet could easily be taken off. It just flowed together under his chin, turning into a flexible material that meshed perfectly with the body suit that reached half-way up his thick neck. In all, he was horrifying to take in, and seemed so… Inhuman.

"No, why did you kill him! All of these men, why?!"

She half screamed the last question at him, and throwing caution to the wind, swung her left arm forward in a wide-hook, which was easily blocked and caught by the masked man. As soon as their arms connected, she felt a jolt and burning pain shoot through her shoulder and she noticed that her arm was covered in blood. The man just stood there, his head dropped slightly to look at her.

"You should get that looked at, you've been shot."

She glared at him in confusion for a moment, then looked back at her shoulder. Sure enough, right there in her white t-shirt was a neat little hole near the top of her sleeve, and she could see blood oozing from the wound. As soon as she noticed it, another jolt of pain shot through her and she almost collapsed, hissing through her teeth as she tried to release her arm from his iron grip. He didn't resist, and crossed his arms in front of his chest as she clamped her good hand onto her shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding.

'I told you you could catch bullets!'

_Shut up! This is _not_ what I meant by that. Shit!_

The last of her adrenaline rush faded away and the ache began to set in. Her mind started to grow fuzzy, and she staggered to the side a little as exhaustion set in. She was surprised when her arm received an unusual pressure and her sideways descent halted, and she was steered over to a table by none other than the masked man. He wasn't overly gentle with her, but he wasn't abusive either. More like a father trying to discipline his favorite son.

He sat her down and clamped his hand down on the bullet wound, earning a sharp wail from her. He paused and clamped a hand over her mouth, silencing her.

"Shut up and hold still. The Bullet is still in there, and if it doesn't come out soon you could easily get an infection."

Her senses started to dull again after the sharp pain, and she just nodded dumbly at him. He removed his hand and set to work on her arm, rolling up the sleeve and gripping her shoulder in one of his large hands.

"Let me make one thing perfectly clear to you. You will not like what I have to say, and neither will the rest of this city I'm sure, but I'm going to answer your questions."

She gritted her teeth and shut her eyes hard as another wave of agony washed over her from her shoulder. She could feel herself quake a bit as his fingers went to work, prodding the wound. But she listened intently to his words as best she could.

"That man I just killed was Xiang. You would not have been a match for him, and before you argue, rest assured that I know what I am talking about. He was a cold and ruthless killer, just like his instructor, who I have had a run in with before."

She felt another wave of agony and clenched her fists until she heard a loud tinkle and felt the pain in her arm diminish to a dull ache. She gathered her wits about her and opened her eyes to look at the helmeted man, who was still still clutching her shoulder and simultaneously ripped a strip of cloth from the bottom of her t-shirt. She felt irritation well up in her but pushed it down when he began to wrap it tightly around her upper arm and shoulder. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked right into the visor of his helmet, as if trying to see his face through it.

"But why did you kill him? He should have faced justice!"

He cut her off by pulling sharply on the cloth, earning a quiet whimper from her as she tried to control her quaking body and dulled mind. He grabbed he good hand and placed it on her now bound shoulder.

"Keep the pressure on that, you've already lost enough blood."

In her fuzzy state of mind she didn't feel like talking back to him, and so she just put as much pressure on the wound as she could and tried to focus. It was getting more and more difficult. She heard a barely audible sigh as her head started to droop forward. God how she wanted to sleep right now.

Just like a light switch, everything jolted back to a sharp state of being, her tiredness was gone and her senses came back in full force. The pain in her shoulder shot back full swing and she almost cried out. She felt herself start to hunch over in agony but couldn't. She snapped her eyes open to see he had a hand pressed against the center of her chest. Her fingers numbed as she remembered the last time she had seen him with his hand pressed against someone else like that and she glanced fearfully at him.

"I already told you, I'm not going to kill you. I just gave you some of my energy so that you could stay awake until someone gets here."

_His what? What the hell does he mean he gave me some of his energy?_

He pulled his hand back and stood, stepping back to take her in as she sat on the bench trying to control her expression as she pondered his revelation. His head turned slightly to the side, as if he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

"Which should be very soon, if I'm not mistaken. You wanted to know why I killed Xiang? He didn't deserve another chance to escape and do something like this again. None of these… _swine _deserve it. The fact that they came here to a place where innocents do nothing but help those like them, just to kill those same people?... In that moment, they lost all their rights to live. I for one cannot tolerate such cowardice, and so I removed the problem at the source."

She regained some of her composure and glared at the ground, thinking hard as he spoke. She was right, the media would not have liked what he had to say. He'd be a cold blooded murderer in their eyes, regardless of who it was he killed.

_But he's right. He isn't a murderer, he's as much a protector as the police. The difference is that he was willing to do that which the police refuse. And, what I have been scared to do since I started this. I am… ashamed that he is so willing to do that which I have wanted to be able to do to protect this city. He can do everything that I can't out of fear of ridicule._

She raised her eyes to look at him again, fearing the man much less now that she had come to that conclusion.

"Now, pay attention. I do not honestly care what you tell the reporters that are inevitably going to ask you questions, but be warned: I will not be detained for my actions. More so, there is not one among you all who could detain me unless I willed it, so do not make the attempt. If I show up again, it means that you need my help, and it would not benefit you to turn that help away by irking me."

The irritation she felt earlier rushed back and she glared at the man. Who was he to claim himself so above the law that he could not be detained?

_Well I did just see him throw a man through a wall and blow a hole in my primary target with nothing more than a beam of light that came from his fucking hand. Might be best to listen to him on this one._

She winced and clutched her shoulder tighter as a wave of nausea and fatigue washed over her, and she fought to control her stomach. The smell of death in the room was starting to affect her now. The man turned to leave and started walking for the door the door that went outside from the cafeteria. She pushed down her discomfort and stood, her breath catching in her throat as she almost fell forward with dizziness. She shut her eyes to stop the spinning and steadied herself on her feet.

"Wait! Who are you?"

She opened her eyes and was surprised to find him kneeling besides one of the four victims that were still slouched against the wall, a hand on their shoulder as if he were trying to comfort them. She barely heard the words "I'm sorry I wasn't fast enough" come from the man before he stood in the doorway to look in her direction. He paused there for a while, trying to determine what to say.

"I've been called a lot in my short life. But you, and everyone else in this city, may call me Bardock."

Without another word he stepped out the door and shot into the sky, leaving Videl stunned as she had been when the Gold fighter had flown in front of her a week earlier. She felt her dizziness return and fell back to sitting on the chair she had been sat in by Bardock. Once she had control of her head, she closed her eyes in though.

_Okay so now there's two people who can fly without any apparent assistance. One is the Gold fighter, who I have not seen in a week, and now Bardock? I wonder…_

'You know you might be right about this one. It seems too much a coincidence that two apparent super-humans show up at almost the same time, but one disappears just before the other makes his debut.'

_Well I'm glad that I can agree with myself now, but what am I going to try to tell everyone else? I just let an apparent mass murderer leave out the back door without a word._

'Well now aren't you sounding ungrateful? He did just save you a lot of trouble by dealing with all of these men, _and_ helping you with that wound.'

_Alright fine I know he's not a mass murderer… and that I think he did the right thing here. But that doesn't answer the question, I still have to tell them all something._

'Just tell the truth! It's simple, he already said that he will not willingly be detained right? SO convince the chief to take his words to heart, and convince the people of the city not to fear him. He did this for the greater good didn't he?'

_Oh I don't know, he did do it for the greater good. But I don't know what kind of reception his appearance will get. Maybe if I can bend the truth a little bit? Say that he only followed through with the kills after meeting lethal force?_

She glanced over at the bodies of the four hospital staff.

_Most definitely he met with it, I just don't think that he could have been effected by it._

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of boots in the hallway followed by a loud yelp and some gasps of shock as Police made their way into the room. She didn't look at them, instead choosing to stare at her hand, still painted red in her own blood. She heard the hurried footsteps of someone wearing loafers instead of boots.

'Well girl, here comes the chief I'm sure. Best make up your mind quick.'

_Yea, Yea I'm thinking._

The older man slowed to a halt right in front of her, kneeling and taking in the damage quickly. He blanched when he traced her bloodied arm up to her bandaged shoulder, where the white material of her shirt was sopping wet with blood. He turned towards the rest of the stunned police force and waved his hand in the air, motioning at someone to come to them.

"Medic! Videl's been hit!"

She heard another person come rushing towards them as the chief grabbed her good shoulder and shook her gently. She glanced up at the man, who had worry etched all over his lined face. His moustache quivered slightly when she moved and the corners of his lips angled up in relief when she moved. But his eyes remained serious. He stepped back as the medic arrived and began to tenderly inspect her shoulder. The chief stood back and continued to stare at the raven haired girl.

"Videl, what happened here?"

He glanced around him, again taking in the bodies of the hospital staff as two officers in full combat gear laid them out on stretchers and covered them with sheets. In the background, someone whistled in surprise as they pulled the man who's head had been buried through the tile out of the floor, revealing an insane amount of damage to his skull. Behind them, she could hear someone muttering quietly about "what could have caused a hole like this?". The chief turned back to look at her intently and she chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying to decide how to continue. She sighed deeply and set her jaw, making up her mind and looking at the police chief with a hard expression.

"Bardock happened. This is his doing."

She motioned with her head towards the damage done to the room. The chief looked at her quizzically, but she cut him off before he could comment.

"Yea Bardock is his name. Yes I know it seems crazy, but I saw him do it. Or atleast I saw him kill Xiang. He's the one who removed the bullet from my shoulder. I wouldn't have been able to take all of these guys on by myself."

The medic unwrapped the shredded T-shirt from her shoulder and began poking at the wound. Videl winced as he did, and the medic went into his bag to remove a needle. He turned to her and removed the cap, gripping her knee to steady her leg and swiftly stabbing her thigh with the shot.

"It's just a flesh wound Videl, nothing too serious. You'll need some stitches and a couple weeks of rest for it to heal, but you should be fine after that."

She winced, and then relaxed completely when the dose of morphine kicked in, completely removing any pain she felt in her shoulder. He pulled a rolled up bandage, some gauze, and a sling from his bag and started again at bandaging the wound.

The chief removed his hat and looked at the floor thoughtfully while the medic worked. Finally returning his gaze to her, he set his face and pulled up a chair to sit in front of her.

"Alright Videl, tell me everything."

Videl sighed and stared at the chief's badge, sparkling gold in the incandescent light. This was going to take a while.

***END OF THE SCHOOL DAY – OSH***

Gohan walked in silence down the crowded halls with Erasa and Sharpener in tow. When asked earlier, he had simply said that he needed to get out and calm down when he heard the police chief give his report to Videl. The students and the teacher had opted not to question him due to how distraught he had seemed earlier. He was lost in thought about the day, wondering what to make of the raven haired girl he had helped.

He had seen a TV news report that Erasa was playing during lunch, showing a statement from Videl who was claiming his alter-ego to be "Satan City's newest defender", and stating that while he had killed the men who attacked the hospital, it was all in defense of the personnel there. She described him briefly in appearance and then stated that they were all in his debt, and that he should not be afraid to show himself to the city. He was surprised to see that she was up and fully functional, with her arm in a sling. Her voice sounded sincere enough, and to him, almost pleading.

_She is so strange to me. I expected her to try and downplay it all, not glorify it. I wasn't even in time to save the hostages they had taken. Why is she so different than I expected__? Could she really be a far cry from her father? Every time I think that I know what she will do, she turns around and surprises me by doing the opposite._

He felt a pang of guilt edge into his gut. Maybe he had been too harsh with the girl?

_No, she probably has something else planned for Bardock if he makes another appearance. Probably is going to try and find a way to downplay him just like Hercule did with the Z-fighters later, claiming it all to be tricks or special combat suits. _

"Hey Gohan? There's something I've been meaning to ask."

He stopped in his tracks and turned slightly to look at Erasa, who was looking hopefully up at him. Sharpener crossed his arms and leaned up against the lockers, watching people pass them all in the hallway. He pushed away his thoughts about the raven-haired girl and raised his eyebrows in question.

"Well, I know it's not really my place to do this, but I wanted to know if you wanted to go to Videl's birthday party in two weeks. You weren't here when the invites were sent out, but I think that I can convince Videl to let you come. It's at her mansion and her dad is going to be out of town so there's no telling what might happen that night!"

Gohan furrowed his brow and stared at the tiles between the girl's feet. He didn't really like the idea of being in Videl's home with a bunch of hormonal teenagers that were extremely likely to find alcohol. He'd never drank it personally, unless you counted the fermented apple he had eaten when he was just a child, but he knew how different people could act on it.

"Pleeeeeease? It'll be fun, and you can hang out with us! You were busy all last week and we havnt gotten to yet remember?"

He glanced at her again, and almost melted when he took in her expression.

_God she's almost as bad as Lime and the twins! Hmphf… Well maybe if I can convince Lime to come with, it won't be so bad? Who knows, maybe I'll actually enjoy myself there? _

He sighed and nodded his head in consent. The bubbly blonde bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet and made to hug the tall teen, but he stalled her by holding up his hand and smirking slightly.

"On one condition: I get to bring a friend."

Erasa cocked an eyebrow at him in puzzlement, but shrugged it off and smiled brightly at him.

"Of course! The more the merrier right? I'll talk to her today about it, but I'm sure she'll say okay. I bet she'll ask you tomorrow when she comes in! After all, she won't be going out and crime fighting any-more will she? Not with that shoulder of hers!"

He almost chuckled at her enthusiasm, she really did have an infectious personality. He turned to his locker and pulled it open, wondering what would happen at this party while he got ready to head home. Reflecting back on it, he decided that it could have been much worse of a day.

**A/N: Okay so this one was a long one huh? Sorry about that, but I felt like I needed to emphasize a few things about the interaction between Gohan and Videl. Can any of you tell where this story is going? I bet the next chapter will surprise you! Hint: I'm jumping forward to the party! But don't be hasty in assuming what will happen! Stay tuned, i'll have the next one up ASAP!**


	11. Friends and Saviors

**Hey all! Got a moment yesterday to write most of this one down, so here it is! I cannot express how elated I was to see how well Bardock was recieved! Really it means a whole lot to me when I get that many positive reviews =)**

**Anyways, onto the story! It doesn't immediately skip to the party, but... oh you'll see what happens! By the way... Vital chapter! See if you can spot the reason! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 11: Friends and Saviors**

***NIGHT OF THE HOSPITAL ATTACK – SATAN MANSION***

"What do you mean he left and didn't come back?"

Videl paused in her textbook that Erasa had brought her and stared at her blonde friend. She unintentionally tensed and winced at the ache in her shoulder. It was itchy under the bandages that were tightly wrapped around the joint, and she hated having to leave her arm in a sling. It made her feel vulnerable. Erasa looked up from her own book across from her best friend as they sat on Videl's Queen sized bed.

"Well he came back just not until it was almost lunch time! It was scary, the look on his face when the chief was talking to you. You remember what he looked like when I asked him about the scar on his face? It was even worse than that. He just got up, scared the teacher and walked out, saying he needed to go out for a break. Nobody in the class knew what to do, and me and Sharpy were too scared to go after him."

Videl frowned and scrunched her face in concentration.

_What could have set him off like that? I swear every time I turn around he's doing something weird! Man today has just been full of surprises hasn't it?_

'Hello, Earth to Videl! It's been crazy since Gohan arrived a week ago!'

_Well yea, but it's not like that's his fault is it?_

'Do the math here girl, the Gold fighter shows up just before school, you get the new kid, and now there's this Bardock guy.'

_Crap how did I not see this before!_

"Videl? What is it?"

Videl started and looked at Erasa with a look of disbelief. Videl considered a moment how to go about discussing her thoughts with her best friend. Finally, she sighed and closed her eyes, steeling herself for what she knew was going to come.

"Erasa, did you notice that since Gohan got here, the city has seen not one, but two new super-hero characters?"

Erasa just gazed at Videl for a moment, not fully registering what she was getting at. Once the implication hit her, she abruptly started laughing at the raven haired girl. Videl's eyebrows shot together and she glared at the blonde.

"What the hell is so damned funny?"

Erasa sat back and propped herself up on her hands and tried to get her laughter under control.

"Videl! Girl, you have to be kidding right? Gohan can't be the Gold Fighter OR this Bardock character, much less both of them! Can he?"

Videl frowned and dropped her gaze to her hands in her lap. She played with the fabric of her sling and quietly started voicing her realizations.

"Erasa just listen, it might be coincidence, but it matches up too well. Last week, some random guy just shows up and displays inhuman feats of strength and speed, then disappears before anyone else can get a good look at him. Then Gohan shows up and you can't tell me he's anything like the other guys in our class."

She glanced up at her friend who had a pout of concentration on her face as she considered what Videl was saying. Videl paused a moment for any comment, but getting none, decided to continue.

"Then the Gold fighter shows up again right after I take down a jewelry thief, just watching from a distance. I think he noticed I spotted him because he immediately took off and _flew_ out of town without any means of transportation. It definitely seems to me that he doesn't want to be recognized by anyone in the city, so it would make sense for him to hide his face right? Then just today a new person shows up who can shoot light from his hands, has inhuman strength and can fly, and just _happens _to be wearing a suit that covers him entirely so we can't see any of him?"

She paused again, watching her friend for a reaction. The blonde was staring at the fabric of the comforter, deep in thought.

"Well yea girl I get it if the Gold Fighter doesn't want to be recognized, not all people do. It would make a certain kind of sense for him to create a disguise, but what does Gohan have to do with this?"

Videl nodded her head, happy that her friend was at least listening to her theory and agreed with part of it.

"Well he just showed up at the same time as those two, and then right after I leave today he disappears for the entirety of the class? I mean he's the right height to be Bardock and everything, though I don't know if he's as muscular as Bardock is."

Erasa quirked an eyebrow and smirked, obviously planning on saying something smart about that, but decided to save it for later. She blinked a couple times and chewed her bottom lip for a second.

"I see what you're getting at Videl, but there's no proof. What if Bardock is his real name and Gohan just happened to get upset and leave class today? I mean I agree that the Gold Fighter is very likely to be this Bardock guy, but I just can't see Gohan being either of them."

Videl sighed and scratched her cheek in thought, not willing to give up so easily.

"Maybe we ought to just ask hi-"

"No Videl! We can't just go prying him like that! I know you don't like liars, but I don't think he's the sort to do that. On top of that, we just got him to start being friendly with us and-"

"You mean he's friendly with you and Sharpener. He obviously has a stick up his ass when it comes to me."

Erasa glared at her friend, continuing like the raven haired girl hadn't said anything.

"-_and _I think that you should try to get him to befriend you too! He doesn't know you, but then it's only been a week. So _don't _go prying for personal information like that, you saw how he got when I asked about the scar! I think we can all agree that he's been through something that hardened him to the rest of the world right?"

Videl pursed her lips and stared hard at the blonde. She hated it when Erasa was right about things that were bothering her. She silently agreed that it would not benefit her to interrogate the onyx eyed teen, but she wouldn't give up entirely. She silently mused ways for her to figure him out.

"So anyways girl, tell me about this Bardock guy! Was he sexy or what?"

Videl stared incredulously at the blonde, who was wearing a sly smirk and quirked her eyebrows at her. Videl face-palmed and groaned.

'Well, if those muscles were any indication, he would put Adonis to shame.'

_Shut up…_

***MEANWHILE AT THE SON RESIDENCE***

Gohan landed lightly in front of his house, and immediately changed from his suit by pressing the watch buttons buried under the sleeve of his left glove. He pushed the door open and crossed the threshold into his home. He could hear quiet giggling coming from up the stairs, and saw his mother in the kitchen preparing dinner. She glanced at him and then carefully avoided looking him in the eye, trying to hide her amusement over something.

_Oh Kami, what's going on now? She's got that shit-eating grin on._

"Gohan! Get your butt over here!"

Gohan stopped in his tracks and stared up the stairs in the direction the yell had come from. Before he could move, the twins came sprinting down the hall and jumped from the top stair, soaring through the air and giggling.

"Gohan!"

"You're in trouble big brother!"

Gohan's eyes widened and he caught the two twins, fighting to keep his balance. He looked between the two of them, wondering what they were talking about. Both children smiled up at him and then glanced up towards the stairs. He followed their gaze and gulped when he saw a very irate looking Lime standing at the top of the stairs with hands on her hips and a mean looking glare. She began making her way down the stairs, her glare unwavering.

"And just _when_ were you planning on telling me you were going to go off to high school and be a super hero?"

_Crap I completely forgot to tell her last week! Oh man I wonder how long she's been here._

He stepped back from the stairs and pried the twins from him in preparation to run for it. Lime might be only a human, but she was terrifying when she was cranky.

"You know, I've been here for _hours_ waiting for you to come back."

She reached the bottom of the stairs and glared up at him. He held his breath, waiting for the worst. She crossed her arms and closed her eyes, pausing just long enough to make him want to turn and run.

"I suppose I can't really be mad at you for wanting to be a super-hero, that's in your blood."

Gohan sighed and felt the lump in his throat deflate and he closed his eyes in relief. Right before she slapped him around the back of his head, snapping him back into a state of caution as he rubbed the sore spot.

"But you should have told me you were going to high school stupid! I would have joined with you so that you didn't have to go alone!"

Gohan laughed sheepishly and continued to rub the sore spot on the back of his head.

She rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. Her frown slowly turned into an amused smile against her will and before long she was chuckling at her best friend. She just couldn't stay mad at him. She reached up and poked him roughly in the sternum.

"So, your punishment buddy, is that I will be going with you for the rest of the semester. Got it?"

Gohan glanced around confused for a second and cocked an eyebrow at her in question.

"Ummm Lime. You do know you have to take the entrance exams and whatnot right? On top of that why would you want to go to Orange Star High?"

"She already has taken the exams sweety! I helped her with the computer in your room and she took them today. She'll be starting in two weeks."

Gohan glanced over his shoulder in the direction of the kitchen.

_I swear they are all together plotting against me or something._

"Lime, how is this going to work out? What do your parents think about it?"

She smirked and crossed her arms again.

"Well, my parents are perfectly fine with me going off to High School. You know, there aren't many children in my village, so they're happy I want to get out and socialize. As for how it's going to work, don't worry I'm not going to make you carry me every day. I'll just stay with Bulma at Capsule Corp in my room there, or did you forget that she gave me a room across the hall from yours?"

Gohan ran his hands through his hair and nodded thoughtfully. He really couldn't think of anything that would cause too much trouble by Lime going to school with him. He felt a tug on his free hand and looked down to see Ria hanging from his fingers, looking up at him hopefully.

"Gohan can we go play now? Lime said we couldn't play with you until she talked to you! Please?"

Her pleas instantly turned his heart into a puddle at the bottom of his stomach and he grinned at her. Gohan bounced excitedly in the background, waiting for the response. He steeled himself and picked up the little girl to rest on his arm.

"Hang on a second runt, now it's my turn to ask Lime something."

Lime cocked her head to the side like a confused puppy.

"Well, I got a tentative invitation to a birthday party the weekend before you're going to be starting school. Saturday specifically. I told one of the girls in my class I'd go if I got to bring a friend along, and you're my only real friend my age."

She smiled at him warmly.

"Aww lookit little Gohan, making girlfriends and being a big boy!"

He pouted at her mockery, causing Ria and Goten to giggle loudly. He swore he could hear his mother chuckling from the kitchen too. Lime rolled her eyes and smirked at him.

"Of course I'll go monkey boy. Gotta make sure you don't get too crazy now don't I?"

Gohan smiled at her and quirked his eyebrows at the auburn-haired teen, glancing down at his little sister simultaneously. Lime caught the meaning behind his movements and glanced over at Goten who was still bouncing excitedly in place, looking between the two teens. In a silent count, Gohan grabbed Ria's leg and spun her upside down and earning a loud squeal at the same time that Lime lunged forward and grabbed Goten around the middle and ran for the front door. Gohan followed, still carrying the upside down and giggling form of his little sister.

"Play time squirts!"

***TWO WEEKS LATER – OUTSIDE SATAN MANSION***

Gohan and Lime walked along the sidewalk, quietly murmuring to each other. It was beginning to get dark out and they were deep in conversation about a certain raven haired teen who had turned eighteen that day. The last two weeks, things had been pretty quiet within the city. With Videl out of action until another week from now, Gohan had taken it upon himself to assist the Police when things got too rough for them to handle. Fortunately that had only happened twice, and Videl had not noticed his absence. Gohan discussed with lime about everything that had been happening in Satan City at Capsule corp where Lime was getting settled. Recently, their discussions consisted of talking about what they should do about the party they were on their way to. Gohan looked at her with a serious expression and straightened his button-up shirt nervously.

"It's all so strange Lime, she's done a complete one-eighty since I got to high school. First she's all nervous around me, and now it's like she's trying too hard to be friendly with me, even when I'm a total dick to her! I don't get it."

Lime rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly. She had heard her best friend's description of the Satan girl, and she sounded like a good person. If only he would pull his head out of his ass and actually try to get to know the girl on a personal level.

"You know Gohan, just because she's Hercules daughter doesn't mean she is going to be like him. Everything you've told me has given me one vital piece of information..."

He glanced over at her when she paused and she looked at him critically.

"You're paranoid. Lighten up and have a little fun why don't you? She might actually want to be your friend you know."

He grimaced and returned his eyes to the front. The two of them walked the rest of the way to the entrance of the Satan grounds and turned in at the gate. Gohan slowed slightly to admire the courtyard. It wasn't really his taste, but the artistry and simplicity of it all was rather catchy. There was a pool out in the middle of the courtyard and smoke was billowing up from a large smoker where a familiar tall blonde man in swim trunks was tending to some burgers, a cup in hand. Several other teens wandered about socializing or swimming, and a few were busy setting up a sound system on the flat lawn on the other side of the pool.

"Hey Gohan! You made it!"

Gohan stopped and turned towards the mansion to see Erasa jogging towards the two new arrivals dressed in a green bikini that showed off her curvy figure. Sharpener looked up from his work a moment to raise his cup in a silent toast towards Gohan and went back to cooking. Gohan waved to him in response and turned towards his other friend as she came to a stop and jumped forward to hug him. He shifted uncomfortably, still not used to her normal way of greeting people, much less when she was showing off so much skin. He glanced at Lime who was trying to stifle her giggles at his expression. He rolled his eyes at her and returned the blondes hug.

Erasa pulled out of the hug and smiled up at him excitedly. She glanced over at Lime and then looked back up at her friend.

"So Gohan, who's your friend that I've been waiting to meet?"

Gohan coughed nervously and held his hand out towards lime, like he was showing off a new product on a commercial.

"Erasa, this is Lime. Lime, this is Erasa. Lime is the only friend my age that I had before meeting you guys at school."

Lime smiled sweetly at the bubbly blonde and extended her hand towards her.

"Hey Erasa, it's nice to finally meet you. Gohan's told me a lot about you."

The blonde looked at Limes extended hand a moment, but ignored it and jumped forward to wrap the girl in a hug. Lime hesitantly returned the hug, eyes wide and looking at Gohan as if to ask for help. He just shrugged giving her a "She does that a lot" look.

The blonde stepped out of the hug and looked Lime up and down with a huge grin on her face.

"Sooo… You and Gohan?"

Lime looked at her confused a second until she caught Gohan's wide eyed and flushed expression and laughed nervously, waving her hands in front of her.

"Oh no, we're not together! He's effectively my brother, so that would be weird."

The blonde giggled at their reaction and motioned towards the punch and food table.

"You guys go ahead and go dig in okay! The football guys are setting up the music stuff right now, and Videl is up in the house with some other guests."

She glanced around suspiciously and leaned in close to the other two.

"And try the punch at your own risk, I think Corey spiked it. But don't quote me on that, I don't know for certain."

She pointed over her shoulder at a tall brunet jock wearing a letterman jacket who stood in the center of a small group of girls who were laughing at a joke he just told. Gohan Identified him as the football team quarterback, and one of his least favorite people at school. The jock had no sense of humility, and was something of a man-whore, and his most recent target had been Videl. Gohan didn't really care about Videl's love life, but he did care about pig-headed jocks that needed an attitude adjustment.

Erasa straightened back up and playfully shoved Gohan on the shoulder, not even budging him an inch, but catching his attention nonetheless. She grinned up at him and pointed over her shoulder towards the pool.

"Now if you guys don't mind, I'm gonna go hop in the pool! You should join us!"

She gave Gohan a significant look and quirked her eyebrows at Lime before jogging off and cannon-balling into the deep end with a splash. Lime giggled and elbowed Gohan in the ribs.

"Go on stud, let's see you go for a swim!"

Gohan rolled his eyes and smirked.

"I know you like seeing me without a shirt on Lime, but I think I'll reserve that for family and close friends only."

She stuck her tongue out at him in response, earning a soft chuckle.

They wandered about the grounds for a while, meeting new people and sipping on the punch, which Gohan had determined was not spiked… Yet. He introduced Lime to Sharpener as he worked, much to Sharpeners excitement.

"Hey nerd boy! Who's the babe?"

Gohan crossed his arms and mock-glared the long-haired teen. Lime blushed slightly and stared bashfully at the boy. Sharpener flipped a burger skillfully and set the spatula down with his cup of punch before turning to the two. Gohan nodded towards Sharpener and looked over at Lime who was glancing between the two expectantly.

"Lime, this is Sharpener. Or rather, "Sharpy", depending on what kind of day I'm having. Sharpy, this is Lime, my friend from home."

Lime extended her hand again, which Sharpener took and bowed forward kiss softly.

"Bonjour, mademoiselle."

Lime's face flushed with excitement and Gohan rolled his eyes at his friend's antics.

"Vous parlez français?"

Sharpener returned to his full height and grinned down at the girl and chuckled.

"Nope! Can't actually speak it, I only took one year of it and failed miserably. I just think it sounds good to say hello in French."

The two looked at each other in silence for just a moment before bursting out into laughter. Gohan shook his head and chuckled his deep-throated chuckle.

Sharpener went back to cooking, chatting with Lime about unimportant things while Gohan stood off to the side, watching the guests. His eyes and ears were open for any disturbance, and he silently cursed himself.

_Dammit why does she have to be right all the time! I am paranoid…_

He glanced up towards the Satan Mansion just in time to see Videl emerge from the house, trailing a group of people. She was dressed in her normal white t-shirt, but everything else was different.

She had her hair pulled out of its normal pigtails, instead letting it flow free down her back to right in-between her shoulder blades. Her legs were bare, indicating she was wearing a swimsuit under the T-shirt, and her small feet were only adorned with a pair of flip-flops. But the thing that caught Gohan's attention was the goofy smile plastered on her face that was so uncharacteristic of her. He was shocked to say the least, that in that moment he found her to be beautiful. He shook his head, ridding his mind of the thought and reminding himself that she was a Satan.

The Raven haired girl wandered her way down to the pool-side and shuffled her way over to the grill to greet her blonde friend. Gohan stood off to the side, arms crossed and watching the rest of the party carefully, subtly watching Videl's progress.

Videl reached Sharpeners side of the grill and leaned up to give him a quick peck on the cheek, turning him a bright red.

"Thanks for cooking Sharpie! It's nice to give the cooks a break every now and then. They're all home with their families tonight."

The blonde smiled nervously and nodded, continuing his work. Lime stood slightly off to the side, giggling at his reaction to Videl's display of affection. Videl turned to the girl and slightly narrowed her eyes in concentration. She left a small smile on her face and extended her hand towards the girl.

"I'm sorry I don't think I know who you are. I'm Videl."

Lime smiled politely and took the other girls hand. Gohan watched the two interact from the corner of his eye, wary of what Videl would try to do when she found out that Lime was his friend.

"Ah the birthday girl! I figured it was you. Anyways I'm sorry, my name is Lime! I came with Gohan. He's my oldest friend, more like a brother really."

Videl's smile widened and one of her eyebrows quirked up. Gohan tensed unconsciously, preparing himself for the worst.

"So Gohan made it after all! Good, he needs to get out more to be completely honest with you."

Lime chuckled and waved her hand towards him absently and shooting him a significant look. He let out his breath that he had been holding and relaxed his tensed shoulders.

"I've been telling him the same thing for years, but the stone-head is more stubborn than a mountain. I ought to know, I live next to quite a few and they'll crumble easier than he will."

Gohan almost laughed out loud at that, realizing that her statement was completely true. He had taken hits from Freeza and Cell that would have turned any of the mountains in the 439 range into dust and survived.

"Speaking of, how long have you known Gohan? He mentioned that he didn't grow up around many people."

Lime nodded and clasped her hands together in front of her.

"Well I was ten when I met him. He's almost a full year older than I am so… Seven years now? I grew up in Chazke Villiage, which is relatively close to where Gohan grew up. Funny thing is that when I met him, he saved me from drowning and I called him a pervert because he grabbed me around the chest to help me out of the river I fell into."

Gohan turned his head to glare at her, his cheeks flushing a bright pink. She giggled and stuck her tongue out at him playfully and Videl cocked an eyebrow at him with a smirk as if she were saying "Really? You dog".

Gohan huffed and returned his gaze to the party, which was starting to get into full swing now. The football team finally got the sound system working and started playing music softly. Someone brought a cake out from the mansion and placed it on the table next to the punch, and Erasa popped up out of nowhere, microphone in hand and began speaking to the crowd in her bubbly voice. The music cut out and the crowd hushed to watch the bikini clad blonde.

"Hey you guys! If you don't know me, I'm Erasa, and today we're all here to celebrate the eighteenth birthday of our own Videl Satan!"

The teens all erupted into applause, and a couple catcalled, earning a blush from the Raven-haired teen. Gohan stood to back, smirking at the girl's discomfort.

"Well I don't know about you guys, but I say let's get this party popping! Before we do, let's go ahead and get in our birthday song! Someone go light up those candles, and Videl! Best go give it a good blow! You're legal now!"

The crowd laughed and Videl flipped her best friend the bird, but giggled and made her way over to the now lit cake. The group Clustered around the table, with the exception of Gohan and Sharpener, who was making sure he didn't burn anything, and sang her happy birthday. At the conclusion of the song, Videl took a deep breath and blew out the candles. One of the guys gave her another catcall, earning a collective laugh from the crowd. Gohan grimaced when he realized it was Corey.

"Alright Videl! Way to _blow_ girl!"

"Oh shove it, Erasa!"

The crowd burst out into laughter at the innuendos both of the girls threw at each other. The air seemed to buzz with energy, and Erasa glanced around excitedly.

"Alright all of you, now it's time to get it on! DJ!"

With that, the music returned, much louder than before and people started making their way around to the lawn serving as a dance floor or returning to the pool. Gohan stuck with Sharpener, chatting idly with the blonde and keeping his eyes on the crowd. He noticed that Lime was chatting again with Videl and wondered what they were saying. Erasa was back in the pool and talking animatedly to some of her girlfriends that Gohan had seen her gossip with in the halls before. A lot of people were out on the dance floor, acting a fool and enjoying their time.

A few minutes passed and Lime disappeared with Videl into the Mansion. Gohan caught a part of their conversation and determined that Videl was getting Lime a swimsuit to wear. He grimaced, thinking about how he would have to scare off the guys that made advances on her. Sharpener noticed his look and poked him with the spatula, earning a glare.

"Whoa, easy man. Just wondering what's up is all."

Gohan dropped his gaze to the fire and crossed his arms.

"I'm extremely protective of those I care about, and Lime is like a sister to me. I don't look forward to having to scare away possible dick boyfriends."

Sharpener chuckled and flipped a burger.

"Just out of curiosity, do I fall under that category?"

"Try it and I might rip your testicles out through your throat."

It wasn't a real threat, but Sharpener blanched nonetheless. He stared at Gohan in disbelief and shook his head.

"Damn I'm glad that Erasa convinced me to get on your good side. I'm worried what you would have said if you were serious."

Gohan chuckled and returned his watchful eye towards the mansion. The two girls emerged, and his jaw nearly dropped. He had seen Lime in various states of undress before, the most revealing being the times they had gone swimming out by the lake. But the young woman standing next to her completely caught him off guard.

He had expected her to be fit and toned, there was no way she couldn't be with all the fighting she did. But the two piece blue bikini she was wearing revealed all of her splendid figure. The long legs, the gentle curve of her hips and breasts and her flat, toned abdomen sparked a desire in him he hadn't ever felt before. The scars of her fights, including the still pink scar of the gunshot wound on her left shoulder told a story, much like his own scars. It gave her character. Made her look tough. Fierce. _Sexy._

Yes that was the only way he could really describe her, and he noticed he wasn't the only one who believed so. Most of the male population had turned their attention to the two girls as they made their way to the pool. Gohan dismissed his own unsteady feelings and took mental notes of who was staring at his adopted sister, instantly marking the jocks as off-limits.

The two girls jumped into the pool and the party resumed. Gohan noticed that Sharpener was glancing at the pool every few seconds while still cooking and Gohan sighed in resignation.

"Go ahead and go man, I'll watch the grill. Promise, I won't let anything burn."

Sharpener grinned in thanks and handed him the spatula before sprinting off and diving into the pool after the two girls. Gohan tended the grill for a while, dishing out burgers here and there and sipping on a cup of punch. He watched the party progress into the night. There was a game of chicken going on in the pool, which resulted in Lime and Sharpener facing off against Videl and Corey, who had immediately stripped down to nothing but shorts as soon as Videl had emerged from the house. The dance floor got crowded with students as the music pumped into the night, and still Gohan couldn't find it in himself to relax.

Soon enough, the grill died down and the punch needed a refill. Gohan watched some of the football players refill the punch as he doused the flames, and witnessed one of them dump a couple bottles of what he guessed was vodka into the large bowl. He snorted, halfway applauding the accuracy of his guess from two weeks prior. He watched as several students got their punch and drank it without realizing it was spiked. He considered saying something, but decided that it wasn't necessary. He could assist anyone who unwittingly drank too much.

Sharpener emerged from the crowd, drink in hand and trailing lime right behind him in her borrowed green bikini. The blonde made his way over to his black-haired friend and handed him a cup of the drink. Gohan took it and peered into it critically. His sensitive nose picked up the tinge of alcohol immediately, but he realized there wasn't enough for it to be noticeable by human standards.

Lime took a swig of the drink and, noticing her best friends look, laid a hand on his arm affectionately, a concerned look on her face.

"What's wrong Gohan?"

He raised an eyebrow at her and indicated the cup in his hand.

"Nothing is really wrong, but the punch is spiked. It doesn't affect me all that much, but you on the other hand…"

She raised her eyebrows and stared at the cup in her hand. She wrinkled her nose and handed it off to her adopted brother.

"I couldn't even taste it. That's pretty dangerous isn't it?"

She glanced over at Sharpener, who just shrugged it off and drank from his cup.

"I'm staying the night here, so it's no big deal to me. I've got a guest room in the mansion, same as Erasa. I'm sure if you asked Gohan, there could be one for you too. You're part of our little gang now you know."

Gohan smiled and raised his cup to him in silent toast. The two young men tapped their cups together and in one move, downed the drink. Gohan felt a slight tingle that quickly faded into nothingness again.

_Gotta love the Saiyan metabolism. Too bad it would take more than those two bottles combined to get me in a drunken state._

Lime accompanied Sharpener back over to the table for more drinks, and Gohan sipped on the cup Lime had given him thoughtfully. He really did enjoy the taste of the punch, and the extra zing of the alcohol gave it a nice kick. He resumed his watch on the party, noticing Videl head down to the dance floor, cup in hand. He wrestled the beast in his stomach that reared its head at him again and he averted his eyes from her form as she walked away from him.

_Stupid hormones._

More time passed, and the punch was flowing strong. The music kept pumping on until it was already after eleven at night, and the party was starting to die down. People started leaving in twos and threes, and in different stages of inebriation. Gohan had gone through several cups of punch and was wearing a slightly less serious scowl than normal. He watched Lime and Sharpener dance for a while, chuckling at how drunk the blonde was getting without realizing it. Then he noticed it out of the corner of his eye.

There was Corey, filling two cups of punch again, with two of his buddies behind him with stupid smiles on their faces. Corey turned to one of them slightly and took something from his hand and quickly turned to the hidden cups, looking around him to see if anyone was watching. Gohan furrowed his brow, glaring down the quarterback.

The boy didn't even notice and picked up the drinks, making his way to the dance floor and a slightly drunk Videl. Her cheeks were flushed and she was a little winded from dancing, and accepted his offered drink with a nod and a smile. She drank deeply from the cup and handed it back to Corey, who set them off to the side of the dance floor. Gohan crossed his arms and waited.

Sure enough, not even ten minutes later, the raven-haired beauty staggered a bit and clutched her head, a puzzled glare on her face as she tried to focus. Gohan saw Corey's two jock buddies grin and give the quarterback a thumbs up behind Videl's back.

_Those sick little FUCKS!_

Gohan cracked his knuckles and removed his button up shirt, rolling his shoulders and revealing a tight-fitting white t-shirt that had a hard time containing his muscular frame. He balled the shirt up and began making his way towards the dance floor, dropping it next to the grill. He watched as Videl struggled to remain standing and fell forward into the waiting arms of Corey. Erasa and Sharpener noticed their friend's struggles, snapping them into a state of relative sobriety. Lime spun around to watch the proceedings, a confused expression etched on her face.

As he approached, he heard the quiet murmuring of Videl and Erasa's incoherent babbling as she worried about her friend.

"Don't worry Erasa, I got her! C'mon Videl let's get you to bed."

Gohan arrived right in front of him as he wrapped a hand around her waist and started to attempt to move her to the mansion.

"No, you stay out here. Sharpener, Erasa, get Videl to her room."

His voice was edged like a blade that cut through the music and the crowd around them instantly silenced. Lime edged into Gohan's view, glancing worriedly between Gohan and Corey. The jock cocked an eyebrow and smiled innocently at the dark haired teen in front of him.

"Hey what's the big deal man, I'm just returning her to her room. Stand aside, she needs to go to bed."

He crossed his arms and set his face into a hard glare. Sharpener and Erasa visibly stiffened and paled, and Lime's eyes shot wide open. The jock didn't notice however, whether because he was too dumb to realize he'd been caught, or because he was drunk, Gohan couldn't tell. Corey unwrapped his arm from Videl's waist and nudged her towards Erasa, who let out a small 'Eep' and caught her friend before she hit the ground, collapsing with her head in the blondes lap, a dazed and distant expression on her face.

"Alright tough guy, you think you can just come out here and give me commands huh? Bring it nerd!"

He raised his arms up at his sides in challenge, staring hard at the man across from him. Gohan glanced down at Videl's still mumbling form, and glared hard at the jock, arms still crossed in front of his chest.

"You and your two shithead friends over there, leave now."

The two Jocks that were moving up behind Gohan flinched and gaped at each other before turning tail and leaving their friend behind. Corey watched them leave with a ferocious snarl. He lunged forward, swinging his right fist wide through the air and connecting with Gohans jaw. Gohan's head snapped to the right and he stared hard at the ground next to the crowd of people that collectively gasped at what had just happened. The jock took a step back and glared at his bruised knuckles, and back to Gohan with disbelief. Lime looked up from her position next to Videl in time to see him snap. She watched as his eyes widened slightly and flashed teal for a moment. She watched horrified as a look crossed her adopted brother's face that she hadn't seen in years. Pure, unadulterated rage. She felt her veins run cold and her heart seemed to stop beating altogether.

"Gohan?"

Her cautious question fell on deaf ears. Inside Gohan's head was a raging inferno of hatred. Hatred he rarely allowed to take control of him. He slowly righted his head and returned his gaze to the now terrified looking boy in front of him.

_Now he chooses to back out. Too late._

His self restraint waned quickly, and he lunged forward, driving his right fist into the bottom of the boys sternum hard. He felt with a grim satisfaction as the ribs broke and he caved in his chest. He didn't hit him hard enough to kill him, but it was a brutal attack regardless. His ears rang, making him deaf to the collective screams of the people as they watched the boy collapse backwards, clutching his chest and screaming in agony. His vision narrowed until all he could see was the boy in front of him. He casually walked over and planted his foot across his throat and stared down at his victim, reveling in his fear and anguish.

All in an instant, it vanished. He felt a tug on his arm and looked down to see the horrified face of Lime staring up at him, eyes shimmering with tears. His hearing snapped back into place to hear the dead silence of the remaining students and muffled gasps and whimpers of the boy under his foot. Lime's voice cut into his mind, quiet and laced with fear and worry.

"Gohan. Please don't. He's learned his lesson, don't do any more damage than you already have. Please, I can't stand to see you like this! Come back! Control it!"

He returned his hate-filled glare to the boy a moment and watched his eyes start to fade as unconsciousness crept up on him. He returned his gaze to his adopted sister and stared at her a second. A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye, and his resolve snapped like a cord pulled too tight. He felt fear wash over him, along with guilt and his ever familiar self-loathing.

_Oh Kami. What have I done?_

He glanced down at the now unconscious jock and quickly removed his foot, staggering backwards and away from the stunned crowd. His breath was coming in short now. He looked at the wide-eyed stares of the crowd and glanced over to see his two blonde friends with a look akin to utter fear on their faces.

His stomach plummeted. He knew he shouldnt have come. He was a danger to everyone when he lost it like that. He looked back at Lime, his expression one of despair and fear.

"Lime I… He… I'm sorry!"

With that he turned on his heel and sprinted off towards the front gate in a desperate attempt to get away from the horror he caused.

"Gohan! Sharpener, help Erasa get Videl to her room. She's been drugged by this idiot. Someone call an ambulance and get him out of here."

Sharpeners face hardened and he stared incredulously at the unconscious jock. He recovered quickly from his shock and anger was quick to replace it. He turned slowly to the rest of the crowd and growled out the first thing that came to mind.

"He tried to jump off the house into the pool and hit the pavement didn't he?"

The crowd started at the tone of his voice and nodded at him, wide-eyed. He then rushed over to Videl's side and picked her up bridal style. The raven haired girl's head lolled to the side, her eyes not really focused on anything. He cradled her close to his chest and followed Erasa up to the mansion. Lime watched them leave and turned back to the still silent crowd.

"I'm telling you this now, all of you, do not mention this to Gohan ever. Do you understand me? He's been through so much, and he has a violent side to him that comes out whenever someone hurts those he cares about. Don't be afraid of him, but please do not say or do anything to upset him. He tries so hard to just fit in and be normal, so please try not to mention it at all around school okay? He doesn't need the attention."

They all just stared at her wide-eyed, wondering who this girl was that claimed to know so much about the new guy. One of the braver students nodded his head and pulled out his phone, dialing on it quickly.

"Yes, I wanted to report an injury and request an ambulance? Yea Satan manor, this guy tried to jump off the roof into the pool and broke his ribs. Yes. Thank you."

The rest of the students looked at him quizzically. He glanced around and indicated the unconscious teen.

"He roofied Videl! I don't care who you are, that's fucked up, and Gohan did the right thing here."

He looked back at Lime who's expression could only be described as pure gratitude.

"Go after him, make sure he's alright? We'll take care of this mess."

Lime nodded in thanks and took off after her best friend.

***LATER THAT NIGHT – SATAN MANOR***

Sharpener and Erasa sat across from Lime, who looked thoroughly defeated and depressed. She had dressed quickly and chased after Gohan, hoping to catch him before he did something dumb. But her search was fruitless, and she returned after almost an hour of searching with a worried expression. It was now almost one in the morning and Lime was getting more and more worried about him.

"Are you sure there is nowhere else in town he would go?"

Lime glanced up at Erasa, who had sobered up considerably and was now looking nearly as worried as the girl across from her.

_ Not in this town, but then these guys don't know how quickly he can get around… For all I know, he's half-way around the world right now and trying to kill himself again._

She felt her eyes burn at the thought and returned her worried gaze to the palms of her hands.

"No, there's nowhere else in town I can think of. I already tried all the places he normally visits."

They sat in silence for a while, none of them sure what to input to the conversation. Sharpener sighed and looked at Lime, his expression as serious as he could make it.

"Lime, what happened to Gohan? It's obvious to us that he's seen some shit, and I swear to Kami when he gets angry I almost feel like offing myself before he gets the chance. What did this to him?"

Lime started at the question and stared at the blonde. Erasas head shot up and she began paying attention to everything. Lime glared at her hands thoughtfully.

_How much can I tell them? They are his friends right? Oh but if I say too much what will he do? Crap what do I tell them?_

"If you can't tell us exactly could you atleast explain why he's this way? We don't want to upset him any more than he already has been."

She closed her eyes and drew her legs up so that her knees were under her chin and wrapped her arms around them. She looked between the two of them, deciding then and there that they deserved to know at least that much.

"I won't give you details without his consent. But there was a… well a fight a few years back, right after I met Gohan, and he lost someone who he cared for more than anyone else in the world. But he blamed himself for it, believing it was his fault."

She paused to take a deep breath, noticing Erasa had covered her mouth with her hand and was leaking tears, and Sharpeners face had set into a grimace.

"He doesn't admit it, but I know him well enough to know he still blames himself to this day. But he moved on. There was another fight just a couple years ago where he completely lost his composure, and he's been worried since then that he would hurt people unnecessarily. He's one of the gentlest people I know, but he's been forced to fight and survive since he was just a child, long before I knew him. He is a true warrior through and through. But please keep all of this between us alright? Don't even tell Gohan that you know. He'll open up to you in time, trust me. It's just hard to break through to him."

Sharpener nodded his head in consent and stared at his fists, lost in his own thoughts. Erasa was still in a state of shock and crying quietly, but she nodded as well. Lime went back to staring at her hands.

A quiet knock shook them all from their respective thoughts and Lime quickly got up to go check the door. She opened it to reveal a very distraught and worn out looking Gohan, still dressed in his jeans and T-shirt. Her eyes widened and she thrust the door open, lunging forward and pulling him into a rough hug. Sharpener took it as his cue to leave and got up, taking Erasa with him to go get some sleep.

Gohan hesitantly pulled Lime off of him and stared down at the floor between them, his face still a mask of fear.

"Lime, I-"

She pressed a finger to his lips and shushed him.

"Gohan, not now. Come on, there's a guest room set up for you here."

Before he could say no, she dragged him off through the mansion, arriving at the room Erasa had set aside for him earlier. She sat him on his bed and forced him to lay back onto the pillows. He didn't fight her, instead just choosing to let her guide his motions. She lay next to him, and they both gazed up at the ceiling, stuck in their own thoughts.

"Where did you go?"

It wasn't the harsh, demanding question he had expected. He expected her to be ashamed of his actions, just as he was. He had thought he could control his anger now. But there was no trace of shame in her voice. Instead it was soft. Pleading.

"The site of my fight with Broly. The same place I first lost control of myself."

She glanced over at him to see his eyes were beginning to water. She waited a moment, hoping he would continue and open up to her. When he didn't she knew she would have to pry.

"Gohan, you didn't do anything wrong today. You saved Videl from a horrifying experience."

He swallowed past the lump in his throat and covered his face with both hands. He sniffed a bit and continued.

"No lime, I almost killed him. I didn't need to go that far, I could have easily just picked him up and walked him out, but I shattered his ribcage. Now everyone is going to think i'm a freak!"

She rolled onto her side and propped herself up on one arm, pulling his hands away from his face gently. She was shocked to see streaks running down his cheeks from the tears he was so rare to shed.

"What if you hadn't stopped me when you did? What if I just went super and blew everyone up? I could have killed everyone there, including you. Sharpener and Erasa? Oh Kami did you see their faces? They're terrified of me!"

With that he just let go. It was one of the rare moments where Lime witnessed the scared child that still rested within him came forth. She pulled him over so that his head was resting on her shoulder and just let him cry. She stroked his hair and waited, fighting the burning in her own eyes.

"Gohan, you're not alone anymore. Sharpener and Erasa, they don't fear you, they respect you. They are still your friends, and I guarantee that Videl will be grateful when she wakes up too. You've got to stop beating yourself up for things that didn't happen! Please, just accept my word this time. You did the right thing, and have nothing to be ashamed of."

He didn't respond, but clutched the fabric of her shirt hard and continued to let his agony wash from him. She stayed there with him until his breathing steadied and he fell asleep. Gently untangling herself from his grasp, she leaned in, just like she had done those years ago on the lookout and kissed him gently on the cheek, before leaving him in his slumber to return to her own room.

**A/N: This one also came out a bit longer than I anticipated. But anyways, I hope you liked this little story about how things are progressing with Gohan and his high school relationships. I know I skipped a lot of time in there, but hey, I can't write about EVERY day or it would be boring huh? Stay tuned for the next one! Might take a while to get it up, but it's gonna be there, don't worry.**


	12. From the Ashes

**Hey all! I'm dreadfully sorry I took so long to get this one posted. Only one more week of this crazy schedule i'm on and i'll be able to work on this story more often! Hang in there!**

**Thank's all for the reviews of the last chapter, all of your views on Gohan's behavior got me thinking about how to approach this next chapter. Lots of good information and insight in this one, so on to the story! R&amp;R, and enjoy!**

**Chapter 12: From the ashes**

***EARLY THE MORNING AFTER THE PARTY – SATAN MANSION***

Gohan wandered through the Satan Mansion, taking in the details and absently storing his observations away at the back of his head. He hadn't slept well, his dreams plagued with visions of him destroying those that he had sworn to protect, only to be replaced by the words Lime had said to him the night before.

_You've got to stop beating yourself up for things that didn't happen!_

His mind was in a state of war with itself. On one side, he knew that Lime was right, and he was doing nobody any good to be continuously second-guessing himself. But on the other, he was always so sure that he could have done better. He strived so hard to live up to his father's image, but he always thought that he fell short, despite all of his friends and families assurances to the contrary.

In the end, he decided that he would indeed accept Lime's judgment that he had not acted dishonorably. He shuddered to think what would have happened to Videl had he not stepped in and intervened. He replayed the events of the night before, and was surprised to find himself worrying about the raven haired girl. He had formed a bond of sorts with the blondes over the last three weeks, but he had tried to push the Satan girl away. So then why did he care for her like she was his friend? He frowned and stared at the ground without really seeing where he was going.

_You know Gohan, just because she's Hercules daughter doesn't mean she is going to be like him._

His scowl deepened at the thought, and he noticed a painting of Hercule standing in a wide stance with his championship belt over his shoulder and his hand held in a victory sign in the air with a smug smirk on his face. He guessed from the date on it that it was done immediately after he had won his second tournament.

_Well that's certainly a true statement from everything that I've seen. She's selfless and puts her life on the line to help those in need, while her old man just took the credit of killing Cell. Dammit this doesn't make any sense! Why should I care how she behaves?_

He grunted and quickened his pace, walking past a kitchen. Nobody was up in the house yet, and he was awake well before the sun was up. He was exhausted, but he could not calm his mind. Why was she such a dilemma to him?

_She might actually want to be your friend you know._

Limes words rang in his head and he halted his brisk walk. He looked about and realized he was back outside his door somehow, and glanced across the hall to where Lime was sleeping, her Ki a calming glow. He ran a hand through his hair and decided to sit against the wall across from her door. He knew sleep would elude him if he tried to return to bed. He sighed and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the cool drywall.

_Friends._

The one thing he had told himself over and over he would not be able to see the Satan girl as. He wanted to hate her, just because of who she was, but it seemed it was not to be. He found himself admiring her. She was bright, strong, truly good at heart, and she wasn't a pig-heated showboat, often putting the lives of others above her own when it would have been easier to just forget them; all the characteristics he valued in a person.

_She could be a friend, and a very good one at that. But how could I be hers after everything I have put her through?_

He felt a lump rise in his throat and guilt burned in his gut. He had truly been horrible to her, sending her through a roller-coaster of fear and confusion. He had helped her out while crime-fighting, but not as Gohan, and not because she was his friend. Every time he had rationalized that she couldn't handle it, and that she didn't deserve the assured outcome, so he stepped in as Bardock.

_Just like last night. I couldn't stand by and let that prick have his way with her! But then I would have done that for any person in her shoes._

But even if the girl had known everything, he did not see how she could forgive his actions over the past three weeks. He stared at his hands, propped up on his knees, and contemplated what he had to do.

_I have apologies to make. _

***A COUPLE HOURS LATER – VIDEL'S ROOM***

Videl slowly broke out of the dull grogginess that was her mind into consciousness. Everything on her body seemed to ache, and her tongue felt like it was several sizes too large. She opened her eyes slowly, nearly crying out and slamming them shut against the early morning sun. She rolled away from her window and the offending ball of fire and tried again. Things came in as a blurry, confused mess, and she slowly blinked, trying to make sense of it all.

_Okay. I'm in my room. It's morning time, and I feel like ten pounds of shit in a five pound bag._

She grimaced and attempted to push herself up, wincing as her left shoulder ached under the strain. She glanced down and noticed that she was only dressed in a blue bikini.

_What in the…?_

She racked her brain, trying to pull memories of what had happened the previous night. She remembered that she was eighteen now, and she was having her birthday party. She remembered spending a lot of time talking to Gohan's friend, or "sister" as she preferred to refer to herself as. She was quite a character, and Videl had taken an immediate liking to her.

_Probably should have asked a bit more about Gohan from her. It just completely slipped my mind when we started talking._

She held a hand to her head and closed her eyes, trying to remember the rest. There was the cake, the food, and Gohan standing in the back of everything looking like a body-guard. Then Sharpener and Corey playing chicken with Lime and her, then what? Punch? Yes she was sure that there was punch after that, and dancing. Everything seemed to start to get fuzzy at that point. She furrowed her brow and thought.

_Oh they didn't! I told them no alcohol!_

"Those little….!"

_Wait… What was after that? I was dancing with Corey and… And what? What the hell happened after that?_

She started to panic a little, worried that she had done something she vowed to wait for. She threw her covers off herself and was slightly relieved to see the bikini bottom was still securely fastened around her. She pulled the sheets down around her, looking for any signs that anything had happened, and almost jumped out of her skin when the door crashed open and Erasa burst into the room.

"Videl! You're awake finally! Gohan said he heard you yell something! Kami you had me worried sick!"

Videl just stared at the wall in shock as Erasa jumped forward and grabbed onto her in a firm hug. She glanced towards the door to see Gohan in the hall looking in at the scene with… Was that relief on his face? She suddenly remembered her near nakedness and wondered what the hell he was doing in her house in the first place. Before she could determine what it was she saw, he went back to his usual neutral expression and left the doorway, his footsteps echoing in the hall.

Erasa pulled back and, noticing her friend's glare at the door, turned to look as well. Videl was about to ask Erasa what why the boy was there, but the blonde cut her off.

"Videl do you remember what happened last night? At all?"

She turned back to the raven haired teen with an air of worry and cautious eyes. Videl dropped her gaze, her mind pulled back from the onyx eyed teen to her musings of just moments earlier.

"I can remember up to dancing with Corey, but after that? I don't know."

She felt panic and fear start to crawl up from the pit of her stomach and she gripped onto her blankets hard, staring at her friend, pleading for her to explain.

"I didn't… Me and Corey… We didn't…? I can't remember what happened."

Erasa grabbed onto her friends hands, still clutched on her blankets, and said the three sweetest sounding words that filled Videl with the most amazing relief.

"No, you didn't… But not for a lack of effort on his part, I'll tell you that much."

Videl felt her worry get replaced with disgust, and he face contorted to a grimace that reflected it all too well.

_Typical boy, I swear to Kami there isn't a single decent one out there. I bet he was the one who brought the alcohol. But why wouldn't I have been able to remember any advances on his part? I mean yea sure there was the dancing, but that was all harmless, and he wasn't being a total prick. I mean shit he was making sure I had a good time, which is more than I can say for _some _of the people who were there._

She focused her eyes back on Erasa, who was chewing her bottom lip. Worry came back to her, though not as harsh as before. Her friend looked scared.

"Erasa? Wh-"

"Videl please listen to me, this is all going to sound strange, but it's all the truth."

Videl snorted, remembering their conversation only two weeks before in this exact place.

"Well, I don't really know how to say it, so I'm just going to. Corey drugged you last night; spiked your drink with roofies or something like that, that's why you can't remember anything. None of us realized it until he tried to make his move. Sharpener says Gohan saw someone spike the punch, and I was drunk."

The blonde flushed with embarrassment and stared at her hands. Videl's stomach had dropped through the floor when she heard what Corey had done, only to have her outrage and feelings of betrayal bash through.

"That son of a _bitch!_ He drugged me?! And Gohan? What the fuck, he knew about the punch and he didn't stop us? Why, when I get my hands on the two of them-"

"Videl! Stop, please, don't finish that sentence! You don't even know what happened yet!"

"Yes I do, you just told me! Between those two shitheads, I was drunk, drugged, and apparently almost raped! I swear I'm going to kill them both!"

She made to get up and leave the room, and was shocked into freezing when Erasa slapped her sharp across the cheek, glaring at her with the most heated expression Videl had ever seen cross her face. She sat back, her mouth hanging wide open at her friend's actions.

"Videl, you're going to listen to me, because you need to hear this! I've already talked to Gohan about why he didn't say anything, and it's because he was watching over everyone to make sure that nothing bad happened! He was sober last night, and a lot of people got back home safely thanks to his being there so don't even go there!"

Videl shut her mouth and crossed her arms, returning her eyes to the covers. She still wanted to be mad at the boy for not saying anything, but didn't pose a counter-argument. Erasa sighed and composed her face back into a serious expression.

"More than that, he was the one who noticed what was happening to you. _He _was the one who stepped up to Corey and defended you. _He _was the one who saved you from that pig while I just stood there and watched."

Videl's feelings scrambled together all at once, and her mind went numb. Gohan had saved her, when her best friends had done nothing.

"Videl he completely lost it when he tried to take you to bed. Corey hit him and Gohan just let it happen. He just stood there and then he was gone, he just exploded and he wasn't calm and reserved Gohan anymore. He punched Corey right in the chest, and we all heard his ribs break. It was so scary seeing him lose control like that, and the only reason he didn't kill him was because Lime talked to him."

Her eyes unfocused as she spoke, and Videl felt a strange combination of admiration and fear settle in her stomach. Gohan had fought for her? Not only that, he had lost control of himself? That was the sort of thing she had only seen in movies where the good guy found a final burst of power to finish of the bad guy, saving the day and rescuing the damsel in distress.

_Why? How? Broke his rib cage? Kami how much do I not know about him? Could he really be that strong?_

"Erasa… What happened after that? What did he do?"

It wasn't a harsh question, nor did she sound nervous about what the answer would be. It was one of genuine concern. She had after all been trying to figure out the new boy, but until this morning, she had seen no look on his face for her besides total contempt, or his usual smirk when he was messing with her. Erasa stared at her a second and then dropped her eyes, her expression full of sorrow.

"When Lime talked to him, he sorta… I dunno he came back. That's the only way I can describe it. He looked so scared when he realized what he was doing, and he just… Ran. I don't know where to, but Lime went after him while Sharpie and I brought you here. Lime gave up and came back here and we talked a little bit… About Gohan."

Videl set her jaw and stared at her friend hard, begging her to continue. Erasa swallowed past the lump in her throat and continued, her voice thick with emotion.

"We didn't even get the whole story, but Lime says he's been fighting his whole life just to survive. He lost someone he loved years ago and blamed himself for it! Lime says he still does it, and I can only imagine what it feels like. She said that he lost control real bad a couple years ago and almost killed her in the process, or something like that, and since then he's been afraid to let go like that. Girl I think there's lots more to him than either of us had imagined."

Videl felt her admiration for the boy shoot through the roof. It all fit, and she had no doubts as to whether or not it was all true. The scar across the face, the large physique, even the confident swagger he always kept when he walked all fit into what she said. He looked and acted the part of a warrior.

"Erasa?"

The blonde blinked a couple times, clearing the tears from her eyes and returning her attention to the raven haired girl.

"What happened with Corey? If Gohan hurt him as bad as you say, then he needed to go to the hospital. And what about Gohan? The police would have tried to arrest him if they had learned that he was the one who did it."

Her voice was concerned and quiet, and Erasa was elated to see that her friend was worried about the tall onyx eyed teen. She smiled a little and let out a short chuckle.

"The whole party told the medics that Corey had tried to jump into the pool off the roof of the house and hit the pavement instead. That's no better than what he deserves if you ask me."

Videl raised an eyebrow at her blonde friend. It wasn't like her to wish harm on other people, though she could easily understand why she would in this case. After all, she whole-heartedly agreed with her.

_Actually, I kinda wish Gohan had finished it. Like Bardock said, removing the problem at the source right?_

At the thought of the masked super-hero, she smirked. Her suspicions about Gohan being the masked man had jumped to near positive.

"But Videl, one last thing. About Gohan? Lime says that he's… unstable when it comes to his past. She practically begged the class to never mention what happened last night, and I think that it would be a good idea to not ask about his past. At least not yet. Lime seems to know everything, but she won't tell us without his permission. Just… Please don't dig at him for it? He's always so confident and strong, but as soon as someone breaks past it and pulls something out of him, he seems so lost and fragile. I think we need to just… Be friends with him, and support him. Lime said this morning she'll be coming to school with us now, so she can help keep an eye on him."

Videl listened intently, wondering about the dilemma the information brought her. She wanted to know what had happened to him, if nothing else to get to know him. She wanted to figure him out, and now she knew that he was indeed more complicated than he appeared. In the back of her mind, she also wanted to be his friend. She admired who he was, and what he must have gone through at such a young age. Maybe the two of them could get past whatever there was between them and become friends?

_I bet he doesn't even want to be friends. He hasn't displayed any desire to be my friend before, so why would he change that now? But then, he did save me last night from being raped. I need to talk to him, I have to thank him at least for that._

She nodded to her blonde friend, resigning her suspicions and desire to learn about the boy until later. If one person could get in so deep as to know everything about him like Lime had, then there was no reason that she couldn't at least make the attempt to do the same.

"Alright girl, well let's get you dressed and fed, I'm sure you need it after that ordeal last night."

***IN THE KITCHEN – 10 MINUTES LATER***

Lime sat across from her best friend, who was staring at his hands clasped on the table with a tired and confused expression. She knew he hadn't gotten much sleep last night, but was glad that he had run off earlier to check on Videl. She was holding a cup of coffee between her hands, and thinking of ways to help guide him through his thoughts.

"Look Gohan, you need to talk to her one-on-one. I know what you're feeling about facing her after these last few weeks, and you certainly should. You should feel bad about it because honestly, you deserve it!"

Gohan glanced at her quickly before glaring back at his hands, but he didn't say anything to defend himself. Lime took a sip of her coffee and set the cup down.

"But believe me, once you get it out of the way and start over, you'll feel loads better about it. I think she's a great girl, and I've only known her for one day. Don't be afraid of her, just be honest and she'll forgive you."

She reached over and grasped his big hands in hers, giving them a reassuring squeeze. His expression softened a bit and he squeezed back gently. He looked at her, catching her gaze with his sorrowful expression.

"Lime, I just want to apologize. For everything. I know you're right, you've always been right. Every step of the way since dad left, you've been there for me, telling me what I needed to hear, but didn't want to. And I never listened to you. I'm sorry."

She wanted to tell him that he had nothing to be sorry about, but felt her stomach jump with elation regardless. Knowing that he was needing to let his apology out, she decided not to say anything. Instead she smiled brightly at him and made her way around the table to hug him.

_After all these years, he is finally accepting this! _

He welcomed the gesture with open arms, returning it in kind. Gohan truly relaxed, for the first time in a long shoulders slouched and he just held the girl in front of him, reveling in her warmth and comfort that she offered him. Lime turned her head and kissed him firmly on the cheek, and pulled out of the hug, her face lit up with her smile.

"Gohan, you know that no matter what, I love you right? You truly are the best big brother I never had."

Gohan felt his smile widen at her words. In all their years, he had considered her a sister, and loved her as much as he did the twins. But they had never actually spoken the words before. Hearing them out loud solidified his feelings into something that he could feel firm in his chest. Too overcome with emotion, he just smiled and nodded, blinking away the tears that threatened to come forth. Lime pulled him back into a hug, knowing that he reciprocated her feelings regardless of whether or not he said it out loud.

"Ahem… Is this a… bad time?"

Gohan jerked his head towards the entrance to the kitchen, and Lime pulled back from the hug sharply. There in the doorway was a very hung-over looking Videl with the most curious expression of nervousness on her face. Behind the raven haired girl, Erasa waved towards Lime, motioning for her to go towards her. Lime caught the meaning of her gestures and turned back towards Gohan.

"I have to go Gohan, girl talk kay? I'll see you in a few."

He merely nodded and returned his attention to the table in front of him, his expression as neutral as ever. He clasped his hands together and twiddled his thumbs. Lime turned and walked by Videl and placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She gave her a significant look that said "good luck", and disappeared into the hallway with the blonde girl.

Videl stared after them for a moment before returning her attention to the other occupant of the kitchen.

_Well… What do I do now? He's just sitting there… Do I talk to him? Or wait for him to speak?_

She waited a moment for him to say something. When he didn't, she decided she should make the first move. Mustering her courage, she walked forward slowly, her bare feet padding silently on the tile floor as she took the seat opposite him. He looked up from his hands and locked eyes as she sat across from him. For the first time since he met her, he really looked at her proper.

_Those eyes… How could I have not noticed how beautiful her eyes were before? Just another thing I missed about her when I was too busy ignoring her._

He averted his eyes, looking back down at his hands, feeling guilt wash over him again. Videl watched him carefully, trying to decipher the emotions she saw in his eyes that never reached the rest of his face. She knew he was struggling to say something. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and steeling herself for the conversation she was about to dive into.

"Gohan I-"

"Look Videl-"

They both started and blinked at each other for a few seconds, neither trying to over-ride the other. Videl laughed nervously and Gohan gave her a weak smile that didn't quite reach his onyx orbs.

_Man something is really bugging him still. Is he worried about what he did last night? He shouldn't be, he saved my ass... quite literally._

"Gohan, before you continue, I wanted to thank you for what you did for me last night."

She stared into his eyes, watching for his reaction and was surprised to see he looked sad at her comment.

_Man, try to thank him and he gets depressed?... What now?_

Still unsure of what to say, she continued, thinking that maybe he should hear from her own lips why she was grateful to him, and that he shouldn't be ashamed of his actions. Maybe he just needed a reassurance?

"I just want you to know, I don't hold it against you… What you did to Corey? Had I been… coherent during that time, I would have likely done the same… Or tried to. At the end of the day, you did the right thing for me, and I owe you one. A big one actually. My virginity is something I treasure, and I'm glad that you didn't let some low-life steal it from me."

She blushed towards the end of her speech, and glanced nervously towards the counter. It was no secret that she was still a virgin, what with her father's "rule", but she never really spoke openly about anything sexual at all, much less to someone such as Gohan. But seeing as he was the one who had preserved it, she felt that she should tell him so.

He continued to stare at her, considering for a few seconds. His expression hardened just a little, and he averted his eyes, looking at his hands again. Her thanks felt undeserved to him, as his actions hadn't really been out of concern for the girl so much as wanting to make Corey pay. He would have done it, regardless of who it was that was at the receiving end of his plots. Add on top of that how he had treated her...

He sighed and looked back up at Videl, who was still watching him intently. He felt in his heart that this conversation would not end well, and he would have to live with the shame of his actions towards the girl in front of him. He steeled himself and straightened, looking at her fully so that he could get his intent across.

"Videl, I'm not a very sociable person, as I'm sure you noticed since you met me. I take to some people better than others, and I admit that you in particular did not sit well with me."

He paused, gauging her reaction to his statements. To his surprise, she just listened intently, not showing any signs of outrage. Her focus steeled his resolve, and he continued.

"I'm sure that you noticed, I don't let many people into my life, and I prefer it that way. Erasa and Sharpener have, in their own ways, found a way to like me somehow, and I admit I reciprocate their feelings. Lime and I have been close for seven years. Those relationships were easy. You have not been easy for me to deal with. You're so unlike what I ever anticipated, and you confuse me when I think I've figured you out."

He noticed that her expression had shifted so that she was again staring at the counter, confusion etched across her features.

"What I'm trying to say is… I assumed when I heard who you were, that you were going to be some snotty stuck-up celebrity that used their name to get what they wanted. I assumed you would be the type of person I hate, due to your father, and you proved me wrong over and over again. It drove me nuts, and I had an epiphany last night. It's because I judged you without even bothering to get to know you first. And for that, I am truly sorry. There's no excuse I can give you for the way I've treated you these last three weeks, and I don't expect you to forgive me. But I want you to know that I wish I could take it all back and start over."

He halted his speech, waiting patiently for the girl to respond. For a long while, she just stared at the counter, her eyes darting back and forward like she was reading something in her mind, trying to understand something. His nerves began to get to him, and he found himself wishing he were anywhere else but there.

_Well say something! Just tell me that I can go shove it and get it over with._

As if on command she returned her hard gaze to his own. Her expression was serious, and he felt his stomach tighten even more.

"Gohan…"

She paused for a second, leaving him in suspense. The corners of her lips curled upwards into a small smile, and she continued.

"Of course I forgive you, and I would actually like to start over as well."

He just stared at her incredulously. He blinked a few times and then released the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. His stomach did a backflip and his shoulders relaxed with relief, but his mind was still going a million miles an hour.

_Wait just like that? You've got to be kidding me, how can she just let it go that quickly? I don't get it why wouldn't she be mad about it._

Videl was jumping for joy in her mind, ecstatic that he wanted the exact same thing she did. To want to start over and be friends, and she was more than happy to leave the past behind her. She smiled wide and extended her hand towards the baffled looking teen.

"So, let's go back to day one. Hi! My name is Videl!"

Gohan's mind finally registered fully what had just happened, and his mouth cracked into a nervous smile. He extended his hand and enveloped her tiny hand in a firm hand-shake. At her touch, he felt his heart lighten and his smile widened, reaching his eyes finally and shooting an excited shiver down Videl's spine.

_Damn… I'll never get used to how good he looks when he smiles._

"Hey Videl, I'm Gohan. It's nice to meet you."

***THE FOLLOWING MONDAY – OSH***

"Gohan, do you know when Lime is supposed to be showing up today? She said she would be starting this morning right?"

Gohan glanced up and right towards the bubbly blonde next to him, his pencil still scratching absently on his paper as his hands acted of their own accord just like every time he was deep in thought. He extended his senses outwards, searching for her familiar ki and finding it quickly.

"She should be here any minute, the exam wouldn't have taken that long for her to do… Remember she was educated the same way as me for a long time."

As if on cue, the door opened, and the same elderly professor who had first introduced Gohan walked in wearing his usual getup. He briskly walked to his desk in the front of the class, dropping his things and turning to the class. He cleared his throat and glanced around, his mustache quivering slightly.

"Well class, we are being blessed again with another new student. Much like Mr. Son up there, this girl scored full marks on her exams. Come on in Lime!"

Gohan smirked.

_Mom really does know her stuff. Most of these kids can barely comprehend the things that are taught here, much less the more complicated courses that Lime and I went through._

He glanced to his right, making sure that the seat they had secured for her was still empty next to Videl, so that the three girls were sandwiched between Sharpener and himself. The boy that had moved did so all too willingly when Gohan had asked him earlier that morning.

_He must have been at the party…_

That was what he was so lost in thought about. He had been so worried for the entire day on Sunday, wondering how the class would treat him when they returned to school, and rightfully so. He knew that they were trying to hide their stares and hushed conversations as he passed, but failed miserably. Some of the students, mostly the football players, stared at him with open contempt. As of yet, nobody had gotten news on Corey's condition other than he had been sent to intensive care and was now facing possible jail time for under-age drinking. Fortunately, none of the other students had been arrested, as his inebriation had been discovered upon blood tests.

Word passed quickly throughout the school that the new guy in the senior class had not only traded blows with, but completely demolished one of the toughest and most popular guys in the school without so much as a harsh word at him in return. Several looked at him with pure admiration, knowing why he had done it, while others carefully avoided his gaze and pretended not to notice him as he had walked past them that morning. The attention was bugging him, and it hadn't helped when he and Videl had arrived at the same time and walked to class together. He occasionally heard whispered words of their budding romance and fought himself to not silence them right then and there.

_Typical humans, thinking that she would throw herself at me and all that just because I saved her. Shallow little pricks. I don't even know the girl really!_

"Hi everyone, I'm Lime Lemon. I met a few of you at Videl's party on Saturday I think. This is my first year at public school since I was home schooled with Gohan for a good part of my life."

She smiled and waved up at her onyx eyed friend, who shifted nervously in his seat as the class turned to look at him. She giggled at his uncomfortableness and rolled her eyes.

_Seriously Gohan? You can't deal with a little attention from the class? What are the universes most powerful beings coming to these days?_

"Alright Lime, go ahead and take your seat."

The class returned their attention to their neighbors, chatting animatedly to one another about a whole mess of things that cluttered Gohan's mind. Down in the front, he heard a couple teens discussing in low voices about how hot the "new chick" was, and which one of them was going to go for her first. He clenched his hand, his knuckles cracking slightly as he looked down at them.

_I dare you to try._

He returned his gaze to Lime as she ascended the steps that led right to him, a wide grin plastered on her face. His scowl didn't go unnoticed by the brunette though, and one of her eyebrows shot up and she glanced towards the class and back to him. She reached him and leaned in to give him a hug, leaning in close to his ear.

"I know that look Gohan, whatever they're saying, ignore it."

He sighed and rolled his eyes, but returned the hug with one arm.

"I hate that you can read me like that."

She pulled back from the hug and shrugged in an innocent manner. He smirked and motioned his head towards the open seat down the row. She edged around the back of his chair, making her way to the offered chair, giving quick hugs to both Erasa and Videl on the way with short greetings between them all. Gohan went back to watching the class, listening carefully for more gossip that concerned Lime. Hearing none, he glanced down at his notepad, prepping himself for the coming lecture, and was surprised to find his hands had sketched a rather funny caricature of Vegeta wearing the pink "badman" shirt that Bulma had given him to wear during his early days at Capsule Corp. The sketch brought a smirk to his face as he remembered how flustered the warrior prince had been to be forced to wear pink.

_I'm just glad I convinced mom to allow me to dress myself for school. Between her and Bulma, I don't know whose fashion sense is more out of tune…_

The professor tapped his ruler on his desk to get everyone's attention, and yet another day of schooling at Orange Star High began.

***END OF THE SCHOOL DAY***

"You know, I kinda expected more from public school."

Gohan chuckled and shook his head as he opened his locker. The brunette next to him clutched her books to her chest and stared at the ground with a disappointed pout. Videl laughed openly at the comment, and the two blondes broke out of their conversation to see what was so funny. Gohan closed his locker after putting his text books away and leaned against them with his arms crossed.

"Lime, this is public high school we're talking about, not my mother's crazy education plan. They don't teach anything past Calculus and basic physics in high school… Everything higher than that is college level education."

She raised an eyebrow at him, giving him a "don't let her hear you call her crazy" type look.

"So then we should all be running off to college right? This is the senior year so…"

She glanced around at the rest of the group. Erasa and Sharpener shrugged, content to stay exactly where they were, and Videl rolled her eyes. Gohan turned his gaze up the hallway to see a small cluster of students crowd into the hall headed towards them led by a pair of the football team jocks. Videl spoke up, also noticing the crowd but answering Lime's question.

"Lime, these days you have to have a high school diploma to get into any college, and some damn good references to get into a high ranking college. Even then it's not going to be all that great really."

She turned her gaze towards the approaching group and nodded her head in their direction, sending Lime's attention their way.

"You always get the dumb gorillas there that only live to party, drink, and bang everything with tits and a pulse until they get dropped after their first year."

Lime scrunched her nose in disgust and sighed.

"Well, I can't say I'm not disappointed about that. I was kinda hoping to learn some ne-"

"GOHAN! GET OVER HERE YOU WHELP!"

Lime stiffened and snapped her attention to the jock in the front of the pack. He was a huge boy, standing taller than Gohan and he looked like he weighed fifty pounds more than him. He was wearing the all-too common letter jacket and a pair of jeans. His blond hair stood on end slightly, giving him a rough, almost military appearance. His face was set in a serious scowl as he glared over Lime's shoulder at Gohan.

_Total beef-cake. This guy doesn't know what he's getting into._

She glanced nervously over her shoulder at her adopted brother, who was still casually leaning up against the lockers with an evil-looking smirk on his face. She hated that look. He looked like Vegeta when he did that.

"I'm talking to you! You scrawny little shit! You think you can pull what you did with the captain and just get away with it?"

Gohan rolled his eyes and without a word stood up straight, pulling off his long-sleeve shirt that he was wearing today, revealing once again a plain white t-shirt that clung tightly to his chest and shoulders and fit tightly around his upper arms. All present except for Lime stared openly at him. Some among the group had seen him without his muscle-concealing long sleeve shirts on before, but it still brought on a state of shock. Videls eyes were wide as saucers as she admired her new friend's partially revealed figure.

_Kami I knew he was well built but this is… He's ripped!_

'He's sexy no? How about you go find out what he looks like without the other shirt on?'

_Yea… NO! No none of that Videl! Kami shut up brain! He's just a friend, and barely even that yet. _

Gohan tossed his shirt to Erasa and stood in the middle of the hallway with his arms crossed across his chest and stared down the jock.

"Yea actually I did think that. You know, I've fought with the worst types of low-life degenerates in my time, but you jocks… You're another thing entirely. Drugging an innocent woman to get her into bed with you? Bunch of disgusting pigs if you ask me. Corey earned his punishment, and I suggest you leave before you join him."

The jock cracked his knuckles and stepped forward, standing only a few feet away from the black-haired teen. Lime watched her friend carefully, ready to intervene in a moment's notice. The hallway held a deep silence, and it seemed nobody wanted to breathe as the school's biggest muscle-head and the mysterious new guy stared each other down.

"You've got a lot of nerve little-man. First you take Corey out of the game for the rest of the year, then you steal his girl, and _now_ you want to insult and threaten me to my face? Didn't your daddy ever tell you not to pick fights you can't win?"

Gohan's eyes hardened to a fierce glare and Lime audibly heard his knuckles crack as his hands balled into fists. Immediately, she rushed forward and grabbed onto his arm, tugging him gently in an attempt to remove him from the situation. He wouldn't budge, and her mind spiked with alarm when his eyes flashed teal for a split second.

"Gohan, come on he isn't worth your time! Let's get out of here before anything happens."

She glanced helplessly towards her three new friends, begging them to help. Erasa was staring fearfully at the boy, rooted to the spot. Videl was glaring hard at the jock, disgust and hatred plastered all over her face. Sharpener recovered from his state of awe however and stepped forward to grip Gohan's shoulder firmly.

"Come on man, Lime's right. Let's go, ignore him."

"Yea punk, listen to your little bitch and get out of here before I turn you into a bloody mess!"

Sharpener grabbed firmly onto Gohan's arm in preparation to attempt to hold him back, and lime pushed her hand firmly into his chest as he stiffened, preparing to murder the boy in front of him. His face contorted into a feral snarl and rage lit his features with a horrifying light. A loud snap echoed through the hallway, and his glare dropped to a look of complete surprise, and he stopped moving altogether. The three teens stared at the spot in front of them where the jock had been only a second before.

There in his place stood a fuming Videl, her shoulders hunched and her gloved fists clenched as she stared down at the fallen jock, who was toting a broken nose and a swollen eye.

"SHES NOT A BITCH YOU… _YOU… _STUPID SHIT!"

The other jock who had accompanied him dropped to his side and helped him to sit up, where he rubbed the side of his face the Satan girl had just bashed with her fist. The both of them stared fearfully at the girl, knowing her reputation as a fighter.

"And you know what? Gohan didn't 'steal' me from that sick man-whore! We're not together and neither were Corey and I! Got it?"

The two of them nodded their consent and scrambled to get away from the enraged woman. She crossed her arms and looked around at the rest of the gathered crowd.

"Well?!"

Her sharp question snapped the tension, and the crowd broke, scattering all about and breaking the previously thick silence in the hallway. She turned around and took in her shocked friends, slightly embarrassed at her outburst.

"Sorry guys, didn't mean to lose it like that. He just said those things and… Gah stupid jocks."

Gohan was the first to recover from his shock and gently shook off the two holding him, his face a neutral mask. He turned to Erasa, gently removing his shirt from her grasp and throwing it on, carefully avoiding looking directly into her eyes.

_That was too close. I've got to stop doing that. If Videl weren't here today…_

He was halted by a gentle hand grabbing his arm from behind. He glanced down at it and noticed to his surprise that it was gloved. He turned slightly and took in the concerned face of his new friend.

"Gohan, you gonna be alright?"

He considered her a moment before sighing and nodding slightly, his face unchanged from his neutral glare.

"I'll be fine, I just need to cool off. Thanks, by the way."

She was startled by the softness of his voice that completely contradicted his cold, dead stare. She released his arm and barely uttered out "any time" before he was gone, walking down the hallway towards the exit.

The remaining four people of the group stood together watching him leave. Lime placed a reassuring hand on Videl's shoulder and breaking the silence.

"He'll be okay Videl, I'll check up on him tonight. I'm staying at his godmother's house."

Videl nodded and turned her attention to the younger girl, who was giving her a grateful smile.

"Thank you by the way. You defended me, and… Well whether or not you realize it, you saved Gohan from himself right there. Gohan's very sensitive when it comes to his loved ones, but especially his father."

Her eyes unfocused as she spoke, as if trying to remember something. Videl felt curiosity well up in her and tilted her head to the side slightly.

"I noticed that when the idiot mentioned Gohan's 'daddy'. Why is that?"

Lime started and returned her eyes to the raven-haired beauty. Her eyes widened and became fearful, realizing that she had said more than she intended.

"I can't tell you, it's not my place to say. I shouldn't have said anything. Gohan will tell you when he's ready. Please, just forget I mentioned it!"

Videl furrowed her brow in concentration, adding this bit of information to the "things I know about Gohan Son" pile, and adding more questions to her "Things I still want to know" pile. She nodded towards the brunette girl, who smiled brightly and ran after her adopted brother, leaving the other three. Sharpened scratched the back of his head, lost deep in thought.

"You know, I've never heard Gohan mention his father. We've talked about his mom, but his father has never been brought up."

Videl glanced at the ground. It was true, the black haired teen had never mentioned his father, not even a name. Erasa piped up, her high pitched voice cutting through Videl's mind with a question she hadn't considered.

"Lime said he lost someone he loved more than anyone else a few years ago… You don't think...?"

The three looked at each other wide eyed. Videl sighed and started walking towards the exit, trailing her two blonde friends.

"Let's not jump to conclusions, none of us know for sure."

_But that makes a lot of sense. Just one more possible piece to the puzzle._

'Why are you so interested in fitting this particular puzzle together? Couldn't possibly be that you like Gohan do you?'

_No… Well yes, but as a friend! I want to know more about him._

'Uhhuh, sure thing. If you say so, just remember, I know otherwise.'

_Shut up._

**A/N:** **There ya go! Next chapter is already in the works, and just letting you know now, it's partially focused on a character that might surprise you! Let me know what you guys think about the developments here! See you next time!**


	13. Puzzles

**Told you I was already working on this one huh? Actually to be honest this one was partially written before the last one, but I decided that I needed to have more dialogue before this happened... What is it you ask? Read and find out! I might get some flak for this one, but it presents a nice little twist to the story I think!**

**Thanks all for the reviews, and the warm reception of this plot-line! R&amp;R, and Enjoy!**

**Chapter 13: Puzzles**

***VIDEL'S ROOM***

Videl sighed heavily and dropped the newspapers she had been studying onto the considerably large pile on her desk. She leaned forward and rubbed her temples in frustration. It was fast approaching the end of summer, nearly two months since the day that Lime had joined their high school, and each day she got more and more frustrated about trying to figure Gohan out. Not that she wasn't making progress with the guy.

She reviewed the last few weeks, trying to remember everything that had happened. School had a nice routine to it now. Wake up, go to school, spend the entire day chatting with her friends and occasionally going out to fight crime. This whole time, Bardock had only appeared five times and left before she could talk to him. She so wanted to confront him and ask him the questions that had been plaguing her mind. Was he the gold fighter like she suspected? Was he Gohan like she suspected? How can he do those seemingly inhuman feats? The others denied that Gohan had gone missing during the time that Bardock was present, stating that he had only been absent to go to the bathroom or something of the sort on a couple occasions. She watched her new Brunette friend, careful to spot any signs that she knew otherwise, but as of yet, the girl was very convincing.

She had grown quite attached to Lime, and between her and Erasa, managed to spend a lot of her free time doing girl things. She understood why Gohan was so attached to her, but her shopping habits were nearly as bad as the Blondes. Nearly every weekend they all gathered at the Satan Mansion or at Erasa's house, and went out to do whatever they felt like, occasionally dragging the boys with them. Videl wasn't one to shop normally, but she took every opportunity to be with Lime so that she could learn about her crush.

She didn't openly admit it to the other girls, but she knew that she had strong feelings towards the tall teen now. Over the course of just a couple weeks, he had gone from the stuck up ass-hole she had come accustomed to, to being someone she loved to spend time with. It was subtle at first, his attitude and demeanor remaining stern and neutral at all times, though not as harsh towards her as he had been. But slowly, he started letting his guard down around her, and she found a completely different person buried deep within him.

When he let it show, he proved to be one of the gentlest men that she had ever met. He was compassionate and loved his family with an almost fanatic devotion. She learned about his little brother and sister, but had yet to meet them in person. But every time she asked to go into detail about his past, Lime skillfully avoided answering the question. It frustrated her beyond all reason that she couldn't get close enough to him to ask, and the only other person that knew everything she wanted to know wouldn't tell her.

After a couple weeks of trying to get the information from Lime, she admitted defeat, resigning herself to figure it out on her own. She had started to compile all of the information she had on Gohan, Bardock, and the gold fighter, writing it all down on paper and collecting whatever media she could concerning them. That was when she had come to a surprising conclusion. But she wanted to confirm her suspicions. While she couldn't ask Gohan directly, she thought of another person who could tell her what she wanted to know.

Deciding on a course of action, she pushed back from her desk and stood. She took a deep breath and walked out of her room in search of her query.

***DOWNSTAIRS***

Hercule Satan sipped from his coffee, grimacing at the bitter taste of the caffeinated drink.

"You know sir, you should probably try laying off of the brandy once in a while."

The fighter looked up from his drink and examined the butler with a bleary eyed scowl.

"I'll lay off the brandy when I die. Get the paper for me would you?"

The butler stiffly nodded and turned on his heel, headed for the front door of the mansion. Hercule took another sip of his coffee and scowled again. It was true, he had a drinking problem. After all, what better method was there to help him deal with his problems than to drown them in the bottom of a bottle? His daughter hated him. The one bit of his wife he had left, the only thing that he truly cared for in this world hated him. But try as he might, he couldn't squash the depression that had gripped him since the day she found out his secret.

"Hey dad."

He started and turned to the doorway to find none other than his daughter standing there with a confused expression adorning her face. Her eyebrows were furrowed above her cerulean eyes that bored into his.

"Good morning sweet pea. Did you sleep well last night?"

She nodded curtly and crossed the room to sit across the table from him, taking him by surprise. It was rare for her to willingly stay in the same room as him for any period of time, and much more so for her to make the conscious decision to join him there. He knew that whatever was on her mind was a serious matter. He set down his coffee, preparing himself for whatever was to come.

"Dad… I need to talk to you about the Cell games."

His jaw dropped and he furrowed his brow in confusion.

_What? Two years later and she still has questions? What is she after? I told her everything already!_

"Videl I already told you everything I remember from that day! I swear there's nothing else there."

He glanced around nervously, making sure that none of the staff were there. Videl seemed to realize what was going through his mind and quickly made her way around the doors, locking them all. She returned to her seat across from him and set her face into a serious mask.

"Dad, this isn't about what you did, so just stop there. This is about the other fighters that were there. The ones who used all the light tricks and such."

"Well… what about them?"

She sighed and closed her eyes, lost in thought for a second as she gathered the information she had collected in her mind.

"There were… Four fighters there who were able to change their hair color right? Black to gold?"

Hercule concentrated hard for a few seconds, recollecting his memories of that day through the haze of his hangover.

"Y-Yea there were four. There was one tall one who I only saw for a little while, but his hair was blonde the whole time, so I couldn't tell you if his hair could change or not. He disappeared with Cell partway through the games, after he fought. Then there was the Child that fought after him, his hair was blonde until after the fight. Then a really short man who changed his a few times and the purple haired guy who Cell killed. I think I saw his change gold for a little while too."

Videl nodded her head, staring without seeing into the table.

"The Child, what happened to him? Could you tell who he was?"

Hercule narrowed his eyes in concentration.

_ Why does she want to know all of this? Where is she going with this line of questions?_

"Ummm honestly I couldn't tell you who he was, but I don't think he survived. After he killed Cell with that blue light trick thing, he collapsed. I ran over to try and help him if I could, but the other guys flew away with him before I could get there. He was in bad shape, all beat up and with a giant chunk of his shoulder gone. He left a huge puddle of blood in the sand there."

He swallowed past the wave of nausea as flashbacks to the scene emerged in his head. The smell of burnt flesh, the dark red bloodstains, the tall green man staring him down, forcing him to want to cower in fear. Videl carefully watched her father, her face begging for more information. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to continue.

"I told you about the Green man before, he was the last one there, carrying the body of the purple haired guy. He knew I was approaching and he's the one who told me that they didn't want the credit for the kill."

"Did he tell you who any of them were? No names?"

He shook his head, trying hard to remember the conversation.

…_take the credit if you will, get your money and fame. We don't want it. But you will not ever forget what my friend did here. But understand, that while you may be a powerful human in your own rights, that boy is the best this world has to offer, same as his father whom you owe your life to. You will never be able to compare to the power that you witnessed today._

The deep rumble of the alien's voice echoed in his head, sure to haunt him for the rest of his life.

"No, there were no names. The only thing he said was that the boy was 'the best the world has to offer, same as his father'. I imagine that I would know a man who had such a high reputation. He said that I owed my life to him, so I guessed that the boy's father was the tall blonde guy with the spiky hair that disappeared. When he and Cell disappeared, and then Cell came back, I think that he died. I don't know though, just guessing."

There was a sharp knock on the door, interrupting their conversation. The muffled voice of the Butler could be heard from the other side of the door.

"Sir, I've brought your paper. Would you like me to leave it here?"

Videl turned in her chair and raised her voice.

"Please do so George, my father and I are having some bonding time right now."

"As you wish madam."

There was a light shuffling as the butler laid the papers down against the door, and his footsteps could be heard echoing down the hall. Videl returned her gaze to her father.

"Is there anything else you can remember about them? Just the blonde ones, I'm not concerned with the others, though the green guy intrigues me."

Hercule stared down at his hands clasped in front of him around his coffee mug.

"No, that's all I can remember. I don't have anything else for you."

He continued to stare at his hands until she did something that completely caught him off guard. She stood and moved around the table to hug him around his large frame and planted a kiss on his rough, unshaven cheek.

"Thanks dad. Erasa and Lime will be coming by later today, just so you know. I'll see you later."

"Yea… Have fun sweet pea…"

He stared after her as she left, a dumbfounded expression fixed firmly on his face. His stomach did a backflip and he felt a huge weight lift off of his heart. That was the first time in a long time that she had touched him in an affectionate manner besides acting for the cameras whenever it was necessary. A small smile crept up his face as he stood to go collect the paper that was lying next to the door.

_Maybe it's not so bad. Maybe I can actually regain her trust…_

***A FEW MINUTES LATER – VIDEL'S ROOM***

Videl burst into her room and shut the door, locking it behind her. She was ecstatic. She had gotten all of the information she needed from her father, and she immediately began making notes on a piece of paper, glancing at the collected newspapers and articles from over the years about the Cell games and Bardock.

_I already have my suspicion that Bardock is the Gold Fighter in disguise. The Gold fighter is just like the fighters from the Cell games, down to the glowing gold aura and super-human capabilities. Whether or not it's fake is one thing, but I think that it's too much of a coincidence that it looks exactly the same. One of those fighters was just a kid, and from the footage, no older than eleven or twelve at the time._

She glanced over an article with a snapshot of the fighters from a distance. Still too far to identify any of them by facial recognition, but good enough to distinguish between them all. She looked between the man in the orange gi and spiky blonde hair to the short boy that stood at his side in a purple gi and white cape.

_They could definitely be father and Son, and I think that Dad was right about that assumption. It only makes sense. But then this kid would be my age now, if he survived his wounds, which makes him a perfect candidate to be the Gold Fighter I saw, and therefore: Bardock._

She wrote all of this out in a diagram, linking the names together with notes on each line, and then wrote Gohan's name next to Bardock's. She began gathering all the information on him from her mind.

_He's the right size, he's amazingly well built, scarred, and he's always so serious like a warrior should be. Lime says he lost someone he loved a few years ago, and I think it has to have been his father, whom he never talks about._

She glanced back over to where she had made the note "Unknown warrior", drawing a line between the two.

_Just how many years? Seven perhaps? His little brother and sister are seven according to Lime, and she said she's known him for a little over seven years herself._

She put down her pencil and ran over the facts in her head, tracing the diagram with her eyes. She felt her mind click into place and it all made sense to her. Everything fit. She had the puzzle, and put all the pieces she could find together in order. There were certainly holes, but none that broke the chain.

_Gohan was the "Delivery Boy" at the Cell games. He's grown up, and taken up the role of Bardock in my City. He can do all those fancy light tricks, and he's proved that he's tougher than I could have imagined on multiple occasions... It all makes sense!_

She felt her stomach plummet as she looked at the diagram again, staring hard at the "Unknown Warrior". Ice crawled through her veins as she added on more conclusions.

_And he lost his father there. He survived the fight, but his father didn't, and he blames himself. That's why he is so hard on himself, and why he's so protective of his family. That's what he doesn't want to admit to the world. Oh Gohan, I'm so sorry. I can only imagine…_

She stared hard at the papers on her desk, wondering where to go now. Her expression was serious as could be, and her mind raced a million miles per hour.

'You figured it out, you know he's Bardock. Everything fits too perfectly for it to be otherwise.'

_Yea, but he's keeping it hidden for a reason. I just got him to start being friendly with me, and I imagine he wouldn't be pleased to find out I've been snooping._

'The evidence was all there to begin with, you just had to look. You weren't digging, you just put two and two together.'

_It's still invading on his private life._

'Ah but isn't that where you want to be? In his private life?"

_Well yes… But not like this. If he were to find out, I don't know how he would react. How would I react if I were in his shoes?_

'Probably get pissy and ignore whoever figured it out… That's just like you.'

_Exactly, and I don't want him to shut me out like that. I enjoy being around him, and I just feel so horrible for his loss that I want to make him happy._

'Fine, but he's going to find out you know.'

_I'll have to risk it this time. Nobody else needs to know what I do._

With that thought, she picked up the paper with her diagram and all of the other scratch paper she had made before that and dropped it all in her metal paper bin. She walked towards the door and set it out on her balcony before taking the lighter she used to light candles in her room and set fire to the evidence of her work. She watched it burn in the early morning sun, a satisfied smile on her face.

_I know who you are Gohan. Finally, I understand. Or at least I hope I do._

***SATAN CITY MALL***

Today was a crowded day at the mall. Students were taking advantage of their off Saturday to go shopping or watch movies at the theater, and those that didn't have work that day spent time with their loved ones or relieving stress. People brushed past each other in the crowded halls. Cutting through the mess of people like a wedge was a slender woman carrying a toddler in her arms.

The woman had a head of straight, platinum blonde hair that framed her smooth face and piercing blue eyes. She was wearing a comfortable looking button up shirt and a pair of khaki pants. She was stunningly beautiful, and carried herself with a cool confidence. The child in her arms had the same platinum blonde hair pulled into two pig-tails, and she was wearing an adorable red sun-dress. She nibbled happily on a sucker and stared over her mother's shoulder at a pile of boxes that appeared to be walking on their own.

"Daddy, why do you have so many boxes? Mommy got clothes, not boxes!"

The pile paused a moment, and a short man leaned his head around the boxes stacked in his arms, giving his daughter a blank expression. He had a full head of black hair that stuck out evenly.

"You know, that's a good question Marron. Why do I have so many boxes babe?"

Android 18 smiled down at her daughter. Her voice was soft and cold, but not nearly as mechanical as it had been all those years before. She had become more in touch with her human side again, regaining some of the basic human understanding that had been removed from her when she underwent surgery by Dr. Gero.

"Because your father decided for us to live on Kame Island with Master Roshi instead of the mainland. So I have to get all my shopping done in one go."

She glanced over her shoulder at her husband, who grumbled and righted the boxes in his arms.

"Oh hey 18! Over here!"

The family of three turned their heads to look over into the lounge of a local coffee shop where Lime was seated, waving to them excitedly with a broad smile on her face. 18 stopped and halted Krillin just in front of the shop, and the little girl in her arms squirmed excitedly.

"Auntie Lime! Auntie Lime!"

The blonde beauty smiled down at her daughter before releasing her from her grasp, allowing her to run her way into the shop and Lime's waiting arms. Krillin grunted and dropped his load of boxes at the entrance, just inside the shop and dusted himself off.

_Darn woman getting back at me for Roshi… It's not my fault he's a crazy old coot!_

His wife strode over to him and give him a quick peck on the lips, instantly pulling him from his foul mood. He sighed and smiled at her, motioning for her to lead the way. They approached the table and Krillin watched with amusement as Lime bounced his daughter on her lap, and the blonde teenager next to her babbled excitedly about how adorable the blonde child was. As they got closer, Lime stood with Marron in her arms and closed the short distance to them, pulling 18 into a one armed hug.

"It's so good to see you all again! Marron has grown so much! Gosh the last time I saw her she was only just a baby! She's three now right? Kami has it really been two years? How have you all been?"

The elder blonde woman shrugged and gave a smirk, crossing her arms after the hug was released.

"As good as can be for us. The little one is three now, but we haven't really been out much lately. I finally convinced Krillin to come to the mall here since it's closest to the Island. Needless to say, he's not too happy about it."

The two of them laughed at his dejected look and he huffed, a pout on his face.

"I swear the only thing I'm good for anymore is carrying things. I'm a world class fighter and as soon as I get married, _snap, _I'm a pack-mule."

Lime laughed at his analogy and rolled her eyes, pulling him into a hug. The man was a half foot shorter than her, so she had to stoop slightly, but he returned the hug, taking Marron from her arms as they parted. The little girl giggled and pulled on her father's hair, staring at her "auntie" with an innocent smile.

"Auntie Lime what are you doing here?"

Krillin gently removed his daughters hand from his hair with a wince and cradled the girl with one arm. He glanced around, and took in the two teens who were watching the interaction from the table behind Lime.

"Hey Lime, who are your friends? Couldn't help but notice Gohan wasn't here, you planning something on him?"

His smile turned devious and he quirked his eyebrows at her suggestively. Lime started and glanced at the table behind her.

"Oh Kami where are my manners. Krillin, 18, this is Erasa and Videl. They're friends of mine and Gohans at school here in Satan City! You two, this is 18 and Krillin, old family friends of mine and Gohan's. And that adorable little munchkin there is Marron, their daughter."

She gestured to each of them in turn, and handshakes were made between the four older people while Marron stared at the two new girls in wonderment. Erasa quirked her eyebrow at the older blonde woman.

"Your name is 18? I'm sorry but that's sorta... odd."

The woman shrugged and rolled her eyes.

"When you're the eighteenth child out of nineteen, name's are hard to come by. Needless to say my _father _wasn't a very creative man."

There was a short silence as the two teens looked at her weird, trying to determine how serious she was.

"You're real pretty! I like your eyes!"

Everyone snapped out of the silence and looked at Marron, who was smiling brightly up at the raven haired girl directly in front of her. Videl blushed furiously and smiled nervously at the little girl while the rest of the group laughed at the toddler's innocence. Even 18 let a small chuckle out at her antics. Lime gestured towards the table.

"You guys want to join us? We can get a coffee ordered for you, the iced strawberry frappe is amazing here!"

The couple agreed and sat with the three teenagers, with Marron constantly switching between her mother's, Lime's, and Krillin's laps. The group chatted for a while about nothing in particular: About the recent game, how things were at OSH, minor girl talk between Lime, Erasa, and 18, and talk of the upcoming World Martial Arts tournament. 18 carefully watched the three teens, observing them carefully. She knew lime well enough, and was pleased to find that the girl hadn't changed much since the last time they had spoken.

The bubbly blonde, Erasa, was the poster-child of the ditzy blonde. 18 noted that while she was a little bit scatter-brained, her constant smile was nearly infectious to even her. She practically radiated positive vibes, and she had good taste in fashion. Then there was the raven haired girl sitting across the table diagonally to her.

She automatically knew who the girl was. One of the many advantages of her implants was an enhanced memory, and she was able to identify the girl immediately as that buffoon Hercules's daughter.

_This is interesting. Surely Lime and Gohan know who this girl is, and yet they have befriended the spawn of the very man who stole Gohan's credit. How does Gohan handle this, especially with his temper? She will bear watching I think. Let's see how she is…_

"So Videl, are you planning on entering the tournament coming up with your father? He is still the reigning world champion, no?"

Her voice cut through a pause in the conversation and the girl froze in place, her face draining of color as she looked at the blonde woman. Her eyes shot wide and Krillin looked at his wife with a puzzled expression. Videl glanced at Lime and Erasa, who both were watching 18 carefully. Nobody had mentioned who Videl's father was. 18 rolled her eyes and smirked.

"It's okay, I know that you're Videl Satan, I've seen you on the television. I'm just curious if you're going to be participating this time."

Videl visibly relaxed and cleared her throat. Lime narrowed her eyes at the older woman, giving her a glare that clearly said "That was _so _not cool", but nobody else seemed to notice.

_Ah so they _do _know who she is. Hmmm the girl seems nice enough, nothing like her father so far. That Oaf would have jumped at the possibility of positive publicity. Still… How much does this girl know?_

"Well yea, I feel like I need to. I want to win this year, after all I'll be moving out of my father's mansion once I graduate High School, and I'll need some money to live on my own."

All present gave her an incredulous look, except for Marron who was sipping happily on a cup of iced Frappuccino. She stared back at them with eyebrows raised.

"What? You don't think I'd be willing to let my dad pay for everything do you? I didn't earn what the city has given him, so why should I take any of it for myself?"

Erasa and Lime shrugged, knowing to expect nothing less of their friend. Krillin and 18 exchanged a surprised glance, and returned their attention to the conversation. The others began talking, but 18 was lost in thought again.

_How strange, she has everything she could possible want from her father. And yet… Well just looking at her appearance, she doesn't wear expensive clothing, no makeup… She could be just an average high school girl if I didn't know who she was. Why would she not take advantage of her wealth, why turn down what the City has given her father for… Wait a second… Does she know that her father didn't kill Cell?_

She glanced at the girl who was, to 18's surprise, looking directly at her with a worried expression on her face. The two stared at each other, lightning blue clashing with cerulean.

"Videl? Videl!"

Erasa waved a hand in front of her friend's face, who blinked a couple times and shook her head, hesitantly turning her eyes to the blonde.

"What?"

Erasa huffed indignantly and rolled her eyes.

"Gosh what's with you today? You're constantly off in la-la land, it's not like you! I was asking you if you could describe Bardock for Mr. Krillin here! He hasn't heard of him yet!"

Videl paled slightly and looked at Krillin, who had a curious look on his face. 18 watched her closely, trying to make sense of her actions.

"Well, Bardock is this guy who keeps showing up around the city, helping me fight crime. Funny thing, he only shows up when there's a particularly rough group of people, or some situation where my fighting skills don't help. It's like he knows exactly when to show up. He's always masked so I can't see his face, and he wears this black armor stuff. I can't tell exactly what it's made of."

Krillin and 18 glanced at eachother, trading a significant look.

_Gohan._

Krillin returned his attention to the raven-haired girl, raising an eyebrow at her with a devious smirk and settling his head into his hand and resting his elbow on the table in front of him.

"A super-hero huh? Seems he's got a thing for you if he keeps saving you from baddies. Any idea who he is?"

The girl blanched and stared at the former monk with wide eyes. He chuckled and waved his hand at her, signaling her to forget it.

"I'm just messing with you, of course you don't know who he is. You said he was masked right? Well I bet the guy is just nervous around people! Tell you what, I wouldn't mind sparring him if he's as good as you say."

Videl stared at him incredulously, and started posing counter arguments as to why it would be impossible. 18 made sure the attention of the party was elsewhere and caught Lime's eye with a pointed stare. Once the brunette's attention was on her, she raised her eyebrow, silently asking the question that she wanted confirmed. Was Gohan this Bardock person? The girl nodded in understanding and confirmation, her face a nervous mask as she watched the exchange.

_So Gohan is going around playing Super-hero with Videl, and she's not supposed to know. Oh but this is interesting, she didn't know what to say when Krillin asked her if she knew who he was. That was clever on his part, covering it up like that. She definitely knows who Bardock is. What else has she figured out?_

"Look all I'm saying is that I used to be a world class fighter, and I think that I could probably get in the ring with this guy. I might be a little bit older, but fighters just aren't what they used to be back in my day. It'd be fun to get into the ring again."

Videl looked at him confused a few seconds, then something seemed to hit her and her eyes widened. She blinked a couple times and looked at Krillin with her head at an angle. Her head snapped back upright and she leaned forward into the table.

"You're _the _Krillin Chestnut! You fought in the twenty-first, second, and third world martial arts tournaments and made the semi-finals each time! You studied under the legend, master Roshi with Yamcha, Tien and… Oh my."

She hesitated and her stare blanked out. Suddenly she slapped her forehead and looked over at Lime, who was staring at her with wide, fearful eyes. Her next words were barely over a whisper.

"Goku Son… Who married Chi Chi immediately after the twenty-third tournament? Then you all disappeared from public view, even Chi Chi, who if I recall correctly, is the Ox Princess?"

18 watched the girls mind work in her expression, and was impressed at how quickly she had connected the dots.

_The girl is damn sharp, I'll give her that. She knows her stuff, and just found a huge piece of the puzzle._

Erasa furrowed her brow in concentration and stared at the table.

"But wait a second… Chi Chi Son, didn't Gohan say…"

Her eyes flashed wide open and she stared at Krillin incredulously. He held up his hands towards the two teens, his face a mask of seriousness. Marron was oblivious to the tension that had just filled the air, and continued to sip the coffee through a straw.

"Yea, Gohan's mother and father. I'm not surprised he didn't tell you who his father was. I'm sure you know how uh… sensitive he is about that subject. I'm his godfather and he doesn't even really talk to me all that much about those sorts of things."

At this point, Lime finally spoke up, her voice barely over a whisper as she spoke to her two friends.

"You two realize that you can't mention this conversation to anyone besides us, except for maybe Sharpener later? Videl, you know you aren't the only one who knows about the previous fighters from the tournaments, and Gohan's dad is a legend for both defeating the Demon King and winning the twenty third tournament. If it gets out that he's Goku's son, the media will be on him almost as much as it has been on you, and he won't be able to handle that."

The two girls set their faces and nodded, knowing the sensitivity of the information they had just discovered. Videl obviously wanted to ask more questions of the former monk, but restrained herself. The group gradually settled back into conversation, with a now overly-hyper Marron interjecting her innocent remarks at rapid fire, cutting through the tension like a knife through butter.

***LATER THAT EVENING – OUTSIDE SATAN CITY MALL***

The party had stuck together for a large portion of the day, with Krillin lugging around all of the massive amount of purchases his wife had made. The girls talked excitedly about guys, fashion, and other girlish things. Videl hung back from the group slightly, watching the other three chat, lost in thought about a certain onyx eyed teen. They were outside now, and preparing to part their own ways and return home.

Videl and Krillin pulled capsules from their pockets, unleashing them into an empty lot to reveal a pair of jet-copters. The teens and the family said their good-byes, and made to mount their vehicles. Videl turned to go, but was stopped by 18 putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Videl, a word if you don't mind? In private?"

She nodded, remembering the piercing stare the woman had given her earlier, knowing exactly what was going to happen next. She turned to the other two, waving them on and walked with the blonde a short distance away. They paused and the woman faced off with her and scrutinized her from head to toe before staring into the young girl's eyes.

"You know don't you? Don't pretend either. I'm very good at reading people and you've got a lot on your mind. You know."

Videl was a little caught off guard by the statement. She had expected the woman to lecture her on why she shouldn't pester Gohan, but the meaning of her question was abundantly clear.

_She wants to know what I know. She obviously is part of his small circle of friends who know what he's been through._

She set her jaw, and steeled her nerves against the woman's piercing stare. She nodded and clasped her hands in front of her, struggling to keep her eyes glued on the woman before her, who crossed her arms and considered the girl for a moment.

"How much?"

Videl glanced towards the two choppers, noticing that they were being watched. She tried to compose her face into a neutral mask and returned her gaze to the woman.

"More than Gohan wants me to know I'm sure. I know he's Bardock, his father was Goku Son and…"

She paused and glanced at the chopper again before dropping her voice.

"I know that he was at the Cell Games. I know he was the one that killed Cell, and I know his father died there."

She held her breath and watched the blonde's reaction:Her eyes narrowed and she pursed her lips. 18 glanced over at the choppers quickly and returned her steely gaze to the teen.

_I'm right. I knew it made too much sense, her reaction confirms it though._

"How? This is not something that we advertise."

"I figured it out on my own. I made the connections between the Gold Fighter and Bardock, and then the Gold Fighter and the delivery boy. Gohan just happened to fit the picture perfectly from the little bit of information I had on him."

The blonde raised an eyebrow at her, but her expression remained serious.

"You're much smarter than I would have anticipated. No offense, but your father didn't exactly put on a good showing that day."

The girl nodded her head slightly, twiddling her thumbs nervously.

"But do _not _tell other people this. Not even your friend Erasa. Don't even let Lime know that you've figured it out, and under no circumstances should you ever speak to Gohan about it without his consent. You've walked into an extremely dangerous game by figuring out his past, even the _very_ limited amount of it you have."

_So there is more. Somehow I knew it._

"Will you be telling anyone that I've figured it out? Any of your little gang? Your husband?"

She looked nervously at the woman, not wanting to be frowned upon as a snoop by the group of people that she owed her life and prosperity to. To her relief, the blonde woman smiled a weak smile and laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"No Videl, I won't. You understanding this is not a bad thing, and I'm glad that you've accepted it and decided not to mention it to anyone. Give Gohan time, he will open up to you on his own."

She smiled, and caught the blondes arm as she started to turn to leave, remembering one question she had been set on asking.

"Wait. I have to know, the lights and the flying that the fighters did at the games… The ones at the tournament? Are they real? When I first met Bardock, he made a ball of light right in front of my face, and I could feel the energy coming off of it. I just need to know."

The blonde woman stared at her hard, her brow furrowed as she considered how much to say.

"They're not 'tricks' like your father says, if that's what you mean. Me and my husband can use them, and you've already seen the evidence from the tournaments who else can. Tread carefully within this subject, as it is not one to be toyed with. I can't tell you how to approach that one, you'll have to figure it out."

The raven haired girl nodded her head and stared at the ground in thought.

_So they're not tricks after all… I wonder then, could I learn how to do it too? Krillin and 18 can do it, so can Yamcha Bandit and Tien Shinhan. Gohan's family too. They're human too, so I should be able to… Huh that explains why Yamcha is so good at baseball, I bet he's as strong as Gohan… Question is, how strong is that?_

"You're a smart girl Videl, I'm sure you'll work your way into Gohan's life. It's obvious to me that you have an interest in him beyond friendship. Take your time with him, and I guarantee you'll break down his emotional wall eventually."

Videl started and stared wide eyed at the blonde, who was smirking at her deviously.

_How in the world? Oh I'm not even going to guess how she figured out that one, she can see right through me. I just hope the others don't catch on._

"Let's go before the others start to wonder. And remember, don't let anyone know what you do."

**A/N: BOOM! This one is going to be interesting. Let's see if anyone can figure out how this is going to work out. Next couple chapters are probably going to be a twist on a common G/V theme. You'll see when I get there what I mean. Anywhats, thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the next chapter!**

**Also, just a time-frame note here... Gohan started school in mid-june. At this point in the story, it is now about to enter the month of October. I don't know how schooling goes elsewhere, but in this story-line, I planned on having it from early june-march. Think of it what you will, but that's where we stand right now. **


	14. Vacation

**Hey all! Guess what? Only two more days of my super crazy schedule and then I'll be able to get chapters up at a more regular rate! Unfortunately I was tossing between two or three different ways to go about this next one so it took me a little longer than I anticipated. Really this chapter and the next should be one, but I decided to break it in half to 1: create some suspense, and 2: spread out the events! Be gentle please! **

**Lots of character development in this and the next chapter, so keep your eyes out!**

**Chapter 14: Vacation**

***DAY BEFORE FALL BREAK – OSH***

"So you guys, what are we going to do? I mean, it's Friday, we've got a week off of school starting tomorrow, and we don't have anything planned!"

It was lunch period, and the gang was all out by their usual tree, minus Lime. The brunette was a short distance away talking to someone on her phone in hushed tones. It was a gorgeous day out, still warm enough for everyone to be out in short sleeves and shorts, and the world took on an orange hue with the change of seasons. It was beautiful to Gohan. He was leaned back against the tree, hands clasped behind his head as he relaxed.

"Well to be honest I have no Idea what we should do! I mean next Friday is Halloween, but we're all a bit old to go trick or treating."

"Oh Videl, you're no fun! We can still go trick or treating!"

Gohan smirked and cracked one eye to watch the two girls talk back and forth. He had really grown quite close to his little group since Videl's birthday party. Erasa remained the little bubble of happiness that managed to make him feel better no matter what sort of mood he was in. Sharpener was the only guy friend he had, and the two of them were constantly in a state of argument about the most mundane things. Just the other day, they had a discussion about which Mortal Kombat woman was the hottest. Most interesting to him though was the change that had come between himself and Videl.

Especially in the last couple weeks, he had noticed that she seemed to grow attached to him. They spoke a lot whenever everyone was together, and she seemed to have come to an understanding about his mood swings almost as much as Lime did. She stepped in often in the weeks after the party to defend him if anyone gave him a hard time, which he allowed lest he lose his temper. She had developed a concern for him that he had never expected to receive from her, and he didn't know how to respond to it. He still avoided being one on one with her if he could help it, even whenever he had to go out as Bardock to assist her.

He constantly fought with himself, forcing himself to keep her distant from him. He wasn't blind to her advances, and he wanted to just accept them. But he couldn't allow himself to let it happen. He was dangerous, prone to violence when his temper snapped, and anyone he was close to was a target. He cared for the girl, more than he ever said out loud, and was determined to keep her just as a friend for that very reason. He was scared to lose her.

So he kept her where she was, as just a friend. It was an equitable arrangement to him, and she didn't push herself on him. He was happy, happier than he had been in a very long time. It was days like this that made everything worth it, just sitting around with his friends and chatting and enjoying the day. He watched a formation of waterfowl flying overhead, and nostalgia washed over him as he remembered a day just like today. The same day that Lime had given him the ring he still wore around his neck. He smiled and closed his eyes.

"Well nerd boy is sure in a good mood. I bet he's got this whole break planned out and isn't telling!"

He raised an eyebrow without opening his eyes and shrugged, knowing that Sharpener was just trying to get something out of him.

"Nah sharpie, I'm just enjoying the weather. I don't actually have any plans to speak of. I was hoping you guys would come up with something."

Lime returned at that moment, settling herself next to Gohan and poking him in the side, jerking him out of his serene state. He sat up and gave her a hurt puppy look.

"Oh hush up, I think I just got something for us all to do, but you might not like it."

He immediately focused on her, setting his hands firmly against the ground. She took a deep breath, glancing at the other three, trying to find the words to say.

"Your mother is taking the kids to your Godmother's house for the next week. Said something about needing to get out of the house. She asked that you join her there, and asked to see if these three wanted to come along for the week. She wants to meet them still you know?"

Gohan paled and stared at her incredulously, glancing at the quizzical looks the other three were sending him.

"She _what_?"

"Oh come on Gohan, don't be like this. They can be trusted with this one I think."

He shook his head. Sure the other three could probably deal with the knowledge of who his godmother was, but having them at Capsule Corporation with the demon trio _and _Vegeta at the same time…?

"I'm not worried about trusting these three. Did you stop and think about Vegeta? What do you think he'll do when three unknown teens show up on his doorstep, including – no offense Videl – the Daughter of the man who he thinks is the funniest Joke this side of the galaxy?"

Lime opened her mouth to say something, but Sharpener cut her off.

"Hold up! You've got to be kidding me, someone _actually _thinks that Hercule Satan is a joke? Why I oughta –"

"Sharpie, for your own sake, don't finish that sentence."

Lime deadpanned at him, and he looked around at the other teens incredulously. To his surprise, Videl didn't even try to defend her father's honor.

"You're joking. Videl, I don't get it why aren't you sticking up for your old man here? I know you two had your differences but –"

"Sharpener, just shut up."

She fixed him with a glare out of the corner of her eyes, her mouth set into a firm scowl. Gohan furrowed his brow, confused at her actions.

_She doesn't care that we just announced that someone thinks her father is a joke, in fact she seems to agree… It couldn't be… No she would have said something before now if she knew her father hadn't done it… Though that would explain a lot._

Erasa piped up, breaking the silence that had settled over the group.

"Well don't leave us all hanging, where are we going, and who is your Godmother? We've known you for months and none of us have been over to your guys' place! What's the big secret?"

Gohan exchanged a look with Lime and sighed, nodding his consent. She gave a small smile, and still looking at him, started the conversation that would bring the three teens before them into the small circle of people who knew the Brief's family personally.

"Tell me, how much do you guys know about Capsule Corporation?"

The three teens gave the two of them identical confused looks. Videl shook her head and stared at Gohan quizzically.

"What does Capsule Corporation have to do with your Godmother? I mean the headquarters is in West City but…"

Her eyes snapped open and she glanced between Gohan and Lime, catching them both by surprise.

"No way… There's no way…"

The two blondes looked at her with the same confused looks they were wearing before, not making the connection she just had. Gohan sighed and nodded.

"Yea, you got it Videl. Bulma Brief is my godmother."

***THE NEXT MORNING – SATAN MANSION***

_**Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Smack!**_

Videl groaned and rolled herself over, cracking her eyes open to look at her alarm clock.

_Ugh… Six thirty. Why did I get up at six thirty? It's the weekend._

She pushed herself into the sitting position, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as a dim light from the sun just past the horizon lit her room with a soft twilight glow. She looked around, trying to remember why she was awake so early, and noticed that her backpack was full and propped up against the door, ready for her to leave. She stared at it in confusion for a second until the previous day's conversation came flooding back to her.

_Capsule Corp! Gohan is Bulma Briefs' godson! He and Lime have been living there the entire year and they didn't tell us! I can't really say I blame them, but still! Oh why do I care? I get to stay there for a week!_

She flung the covers from herself and rushed into her bathroom, washing quickly and dressing herself in her bicycle shorts and white t-shirt. She couldn't dampen her excitement and rushed out her door, bag in hand, running down the hall. She paused in the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee and say goodbye to her father, who she noted was beginning to get himself back into shape since he had kicked his alcohol problem a month prior.

_Shoot, he might even be ready to fight in the tournament next at the end of next month! _

Finished with her hasty breakfast, she ran out her front door, noticing that there was already a limo waiting for her just outside the front gate of her property. As she neared, the window rolled down to reveal an excited looking Erasa, who had gotten herself all dressed up for the occasion of meeting the world's most influential and wealthy woman. Videl waved and smiled wide at her best friend.

"Hi Erasa! Is Sharpie in there?"

"Yea he's here, and conked out!"

She saw the girl shift in her seat and heard a muffled cry as she kicked the boy across from him. Videl laughed and made to open the door, only for it to open before she could touch the handle. She "eep"ed and jumped back, retracting her hand and earning a giggle from the Blonde on the other side.

"It got me too! Sharpie got hit full on in the face when he went for it!"

Videl recovered from her shock and settled herself into the back of the car, settling her backpack between her legs on the floor and signaling to the driver that she was set. There was no reply through the tinted window, but the door shut and the car took off, surprising her by lifting off into the air. She clutched onto the chicken handle and grimaced, trying to settle her stomach. True to Erasa's word, Sharpener was dozing in the seat across from them, his head lolling to the side.

"Gosh, you'd think he never slept or something? Anyways, what do you think Gohan's family is going to be like?"

The blonde next to her paused in her applying of mascara and smiled over at her friend.

"Honestly? Pretty crazy if I had to guess. I mean, his mother is a former world champion, he calls his little brother, sister and their friend the 'demon trio', and his godmother is the world's most famous woman! I tell you what girl, I'm almost regretting telling you I wouldn't go after Gohan!"

Videl blushed and glared at her friend, who didn't realize how much her statement had actually affected her. But to keep up her image, she denied it.

"I already told you, there's nothing between me and Gohan! We're just friends!"

The blonde rolled her eyes and smirked, but didn't respond.

It didn't take long for the trip to end, and soon the light from outside stopped flowing in as the limo settled on the private landing pad within the Capsule Corp compound. Erasa and Videl looked out the windows excitedly, taking in their surroundings and waking Sharpener in the process. His eyes snapped open as he realized where they were, and immediately pushed a button on the inside of the door, opening it outwards. The three teens disembarked into the early morning sun, and stared in awe towards the three huge domes that made up Capsule Corporation headquarters. They were nearest the smallest of the three large domes, which was lined with windows.

As soon as they had left the Limo, it pulled away and circled around the domes, leaving the three teens standing there watching after it. Erasa's eyes widened and she stared at the ground by her feet.

"Oh my, I forgot my bags in the trunk! Oh darn where did he drive off to!"

"Don't worry about it Erasa, your bags will be moved to your room automatically. He's programmed to do that too."

The three teens started at the familiar voice and turned in the direction of a smaller building that was nestled next to the smaller dome behind them. Gohan strode to them, dressed in his Navy fighting gi with the red long sleeve shirt. He looked slightly ruffled, like he had been working out, though there wasn't a bead of sweat on his forehead and his hair stuck out in its usual careless style. Videl felt her stomach stir again at the sight of him in a form-fitting fighting uniform.

_Dammit! Why does he have to look so good in literally _everything _I see him wear? _

He strode over to them, rolling his shoulders as he neared. She noticed him wince as his left one popped when he rolled it and he raised his right hand to massage his left. He smiled nervously at the group and raised his hands out to his sides.

"Well… Umm welcome to Capsule Corporation! I should warn you now, Bulma's husband is an extremely short-tempered man, and he doesn't like trespassers. So for now, you guys should probably stick with m-"

"BRAT! WHO THE HELL ARE THOSE PEOPLE?"

Gohan sighed and glared skyward, begging Dende to strike the short man with lightning. Knowing that the bolt would not come, he stood to the side as the prince approached with a mean scowl on his face and his arms crossed in front of his bare chest. He was wearing his usual training clothes of a pair of shorts and sneakers.

_Kami that guy is completely ripped! Not even my dad in his prime had muscles like that! Oh damn I bet that Gohan is just as defined as him!_

Videl's stomach twisted in a knot at the thought, and she shook her head to rid herself of the image. Now wasn't the time for her to be fantasizing about the tall teen.

"These, _your highness, _are my friends from school. Videl, Erasa, and Sharpener. Guys, this egotistical airhead is Vegeta. He's Bulma's husband and my training partner."

"Shut your trap Brat, unless you want to get back in the GR."

Gohan simply smirked and crossed his arms, knowing that he could take the prince whenever he wanted to. No matter how hard the prince trained, he was unable to surpass Gohan's ability in the last seven years. The prince returned his glare to the three teenagers who all had different expressions on their faces.

Erasa was staring at him with nothing short of admiration and lust in her eyes, her hands clasped firmly in front of her. Sharpener was sizing him up, obviously confused as to how such a short man could possibly think that Hercule, the world's savior, was a joke. The blonde held his tongue however, remembering the warnings of both Gohan and Lime the day before. Videl kept her face as neutral as possible, barely able to hide her contempt for the short man's attitude. His gaze lingered on her for a moment, and she swore she saw him sniff the air and glance at Gohan next to her.

"Fine, so be it. Just keep them away from the woman's work areas and my training room. You know the drill."

He turned on his heel and walked back towards the small building that he and Gohan had emerged from. Gohan shook his head and sighed.

"Right _Veggie_, just remember not to touch any of them. You remember what happened last time!"

Videl smirked when the older man tensed and glared over his shoulder at the teens, but didn't say anything in response. He merely grunted and walked into the building, shutting a heavy metal door behind him and locking it.

Gohan planted his hands on his hips and cleared his throat, getting the other's attention.

"So yea, that's Vegeta. Anyways, let's get you settled in. Lime will probably be getting up soon and Bulma is likely already out and about."

He turned and started to lead the way towards a pair of double doors in the side of the dome, grabbing Videl's and Sharpener's bags, one in each hand.

"What about your mother and your little siblings?"

He paused as they reached the door, standing slightly off to the side and leaning forward to speak into a microphone set in the wall.

"Voice verification. Gohan Son, and three guests."

The wall slid to the side to reveal an eye piece, which Gohan set his face next to.

"The others will be getting here sometime around lunch according to Bulma, so you guys will just have to wait to meet them."

The scanner flashed, taking a picture of his iris and verifying it against the data on record. With a light ding and a hissing sound, the two doors swung inwards revealing a long hallway that ran a significant ways into the building before ending in a tinted glass door. Gohan hefted the bags and began the trek into the building. The three others followed him, soaking up all the details they could take in as they walked past picture after picture.

Most of them were pictures of the Briefs family, occasionally mixed in with some celebrity or another, and on multiple occasions a slightly younger version of the man walking before the teens with his facial scar and all. Videl couldn't help but notice several older pictures of Bulma when she had to have been in her early twenties, accompanied by Yamcha Bandit and a tall man that looked startlingly like Gohan, though his hair stuck out In a much crazier fashion. The man wore a bright orange gi and a carefree grin. He had his bare arm thrown around her shoulders and was flashing the camera with a victory sign.

_That's got to be Goku there. Man Gohan looks just like him when you take away the scar._

Her thoughts were interrupted when they walked through the tinted glass doors at the end of the hall and emerged in a huge open area with early morning sunlight pouring in from the domed windows at the top of the room. The three teens collectively gasped at the sight before them. It seemed that they had just walked into an enormous resort. In the center of the open space was a large pool and Jacuzzi combo, nestled into the ground next to a full gym and a sparring ring roped out on a grassy patch. Further down on either side there was open grassy space, enough to play a game of football on. There were trees and vegetation scattered about here and there, but the room felt anything but crowded. Gohan paused and set the two bags off to the side of the hall and turned towards his friends.

"This is the rec-room. There's more things to do in here but I think I'm going to have to let you explore to find out just how much. From this room you can get anywhere in the family dome, which is this building."

He pointed a finger on each hand towards both sides, indicating a single door nestled into the wall on either side of the one they had just emerged from.

"Those doors go to the Son and Brief's wards of the building. They're marked, so don't worry, you won't accidentally walk into the wrong one. You'll be staying in the Son ward by the way, I'll get you access codes to get in there in a minute."

He smiled at their looks of awe and pointed over his shoulder at the opposite wall, where there were three doors. The one on the left had a large sign over it that said "Guest Ward", the center said "Kitchen", and the one on the right said "Entertainment Room".

"Those three go off to the other sections of the building, and they're unsecured. You can go in whenever you want, though you won't be able to access any of the hotel rooms without a key. The kitchen is running twenty-four-seven, and the Entertainment room has a theater, several game systems, and things like that. That door at the end of the room down there goes to the main building. Don't try to get through that without access, you'll fail."

He gestured for them to lead the way into the large room. Videl took in as much as she could. It was amazing, a marvel of architecture and engineering. The walls gracefully arced together towards the top of the room, forming the top of the dome. The walls had windows in rows on both sides, overlooking the rec-room. They walked by the pool, which Videl noticed was a whopping twenty feet deep at one end, and the hot tub bubbled invitingly.

_I'm definitely going to need to spend some time in there._

"Let's head on over to the kitchen guys. I think that it's time you met your hostess."

The two blondes exchanged excited looks and smiled at each other. Videl could feel excitement bubbling in her as well, and felt her cheeks begin to warm with an excited flush. She fought to compose herself, but ultimately failed to hide the smile that shone on her face. Gohan chuckled and shook his head, stepping forward as they reached the door and pulling it open.

"TRUNKS BRIEF! YOU GET YOUR BUTT BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!"

Gohan was suddenly flung backwards with a loud grunt and landed on his back behind the three stunned teens. They blinked down at him, trying to understand what they were seeing. There appeared to be a very dazed and confused lavender haired child laying across his broad chest, clutching a computer chip in his small hand. Videl recovered from her shock and glanced back towards the kitchen door.

_Where the hell did he come from? I swear I didn't see him run into Gohan. Kami how fast was he moving?_

Gohan shook his head and grabbed the boy by the back of his t-shirt, lifting him to hang in the air in front of his face as Gohan sat up.

"Umm… Gohan? Are you okay?"

At Videl's words, Trunks seemed to realize where he was and looked around quickly for his mother, panic written across his face. He realized why he was unable to move and stared at Gohan with fear filled eyes, clutching the chip to his chest. He gulped when Gohan gave him an evil smirk that could have rivaled Vegetas. Trunks found his voice, but was barely able to let out more than a whisper.

"H-Hi Gohan. Sorry, I didn't see you there. Could… Could you let me go? _Please_? She's gonna kill me!"

Gohan chuckled and pushed himself up from the ground, still dangling the child in front of his face, his smirk never leaving his face.

"Oh I don't know Trunks, you did just knock the wind out of me. What did you take this time?"

"Heh… Heh heh… nothing?"

He tried to conceal the chip in his hands, a nervous smiled on his face. The voice that had rung out moments before sounded right behind him, catching the attention of the three teens and Trunks, who blanched and froze completely in Gohan's grasp.

"If 'nothing' translates into 'the control board for the food module in the kitchen' in any language you speak Gohan, then he's telling the truth."

The three teens stared in open wonder at Bulma as she strode out of the kitchen dressed in a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt. She hadn't done anything with her hair, which frizzed out lazily in her short haircut she had taken up, and she wore an irritated glare directed at her son. Videl laughed inwardly at her careless appearance, having half expected to see her in the business suit she wore for press conferences. It was nice to see that the older woman liked to relax when not in front of the camera.

Gohan chuckled and held his hand out, palm up in front of the boy's face. Trunks averted his eyes and placed the chip in his hand, then withdrew his hand and twiddled his thumbs together, staring at the ground below him.

"Trunks, you've got guests in the house. Try to behave okay? Just remember that when the twins get here I won't hesitate to make you and Goten look like cross-dressers again. Got it?"

Trunks cringed, his eyes snapping wide. He squirmed against Gohan's grasp, and as soon as the tall teen let go he shot off in the opposite direction, leaving Bulma and Gohan in a fit of laughter and the three teens in a state of bewilderment. Bulma recovered from her laughter and walked over to Gohan to take the chip from his hand, stepping up and giving him a kiss on the cheek in the process. She noticed the three out of the corner of her eye watching the two of them and turned her gaze upon them, inspecting the three friends that she had heard so much about from Lime.

"Well Gohan, are you going to introduce me?"

Gohan shuffled nervously, and cleared his throat, looking at his three friends.

"Guys, this is my godmother; Bulma Brief. Bulma, this is Sharpener, Erasa, and Videl."

She inspected the three quickly as they were introduced. The tall blonde guy was watching her with a wide-eyed expression akin to both lust and awe. She congratulated herself inside her head, glad that even at her age she could still catch the attention of the younger crowd. The other blonde in the group looked like she was about to burst with excitement, and Bulma knew that she was in for a long conversation with the girl. When Gohan introduced the short raven-haired girl however, she was momentarily shocked.

_My gosh, _she's _the daughter of Hercule Satan? She's grown into a beautiful woman hasn't she? Last time I saw her she was still only a child. Both of these girls are very good looking! I'm amazed that Gohan hasn't made a move on either of them… Damn, Chi Chi is going to push this on him, I already know it…_

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Brief!"

Videl bowed slightly to the other woman, and the two blondes followed suit. Bulma smiled brightly at them, blushing slightly at the unusual display of respect.

"Please you three, just call me Bulma. You're all friends of Gohan's and Lime's, and therefore friends of mine. Now come on, I'm sure you all need some food. After you've eaten Gohan can show you to your rooms."

The three righted themselves and followed after the blue haired genius, picking up an excited conversation about nothing in particular, just excited to be speaking to her. Gohan chuckled and followed them, knowing that his godmother was loving the attention.

They entered the kitchen, and Bulma strode over to a large juke-box like machine that had a conveyor belt emerging from a hole in the side. She opened a panel, leaning into the machine for a moment while she replaced the chip her son had removed earlier. A quiet click could be heard from within the box, and it powered up with a soft whirring noise. The blue-haired hostess emerged from her work and shut the panel with a smile, dusting off her hands and turning to the teens. Gohan stood off to the side with his arms crossed, a small smile on his face. Bulma indicated towards the machine with a proud grin.

"This is my answer to the insane appetite of _some _people I know. My husband, son, and godchildren all have a tendency to wipe out whatever eating establishment they go to, and my kitchen is no exception. Gohan, if you would be so kind as to demonstrate how it works? That is, if my son didn't do any permanent damage to it…"

The three teens looked at Gohan curiously, wondering how the little box in front of them had anything to do with food, or Gohan's ridiculous appetite. The boy strode past them, uncrossing his arms and pressing a little red button. A little red light lit up at the top of the machine, and Gohan leaned in to speak into a microphone jutting out of the front panel.

"The usual Gohan breakfast. No biscuits please."

He released the button and stood straight while the machine processed his request. Bulma stood to the side, watching it expectantly. The machine flashed a green light at them twice and whirred into life. Bulma raised her voice to be heard over the hum of the machine.

"So this thing works by taking food that has been cooked in the kitchen and then capsulized in stasis, and decapsulizing it right onto the belt! The whole process takes about ten seconds for a meal the size these boys eat, and even less for us normal people. It even does cappuccino! My dad's idea."

She giggled, remembering the time that her father had nearly prevented Goku from flying to Namek on the grounds that his ship didn't have a cappuccino machine installed on it.

_Some things never change._

The machine started up the conveyor belt motor, and three large trays of food emerged from the hole in the side, gliding out and stacked with all sorts of food for the tall teen. The three teens, already knowing of their friend's unusual eating habits, instead marveled at the machine before them. While Gohan collected his food and left to begin eating, Videl peered around the side of the machine as best she could, trying to figure out the intricacies of it.

"Hey Bulma, just curious you said the food was capsulized? How does it get heated when it decapsulized, and where are all the capsules stored? Your 'storage' capsules leave behind shells when they open don't they?"

The blue haired genius grinned at her, gesturing to the teen behind them who was now digging into his breakfast with Gusto.

"Credit for that one goes to Gohan! He came up with the idea for a one-time use capsule that leaves no residue, doesn't contaminate food, and burns away upon decapsulization, heating the contents within! He built the prototypes and everything, but it's still too pricey to put on the market yet. So it's more of an 'in-house' project for now."

Gohan paused his eating as the three teens stared at him with dumbfounded expressions. He swallowed and blushed lightly.

"What? It's no big deal really, it just occurred to me one day last year."

Sharpener laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Oh come on nerd-boy! Give yourself some credit, that's brilliant!"

Gohan just shrugged and returned to his food. Bulma rolled her eyes and smirked, leaning over to the two girls standing next to her and muttering behind her hand.

"Boy needs to give himself some credit for his brain. He's way beyond what I could have ever hoped to be at his age intellectually. Don't tell him I said it, but for all of his brains the kid is as dense as a rock sometimes."

The three of them chuckled and Videl swore she saw him give his godmother a glare between mouthfuls of food.

"Anyways, you three get some food, and then Gohan will show you to your rooms. Don't worry about your luggage, the bots have already moved it all. Feel free to roam about the place, but please don't go in the main building or into the smaller room outside labeled GR. That's where you'll usually find my husband, and he's not overly fond of guests."

Gohan snorted and rolled his eyes, never ceasing his assault on his breakfast.

"And Gohan, just so you know, your family will be arriving a little later than planned today. Chi said something about an 'alternative mode of transportation' or something like that. I think the kids hid the keys to the car or something. Whatever the case may be, I'm leaving these three in your care. Unfortunately I have to do work until this evening, someone decided it would be a good idea to allow one of the interns work on the newest space-craft and somehow the kid managed to destroy half of the control console."

Gohan paused and quirked an eyebrow at her in silent question. She shook her head and scowled.

"Believe me, you don't want to know. Anyways I'll see you all later! Watch out for my son, and have fun while you're here okay?"

With that she waved at them and disappeared out the door that they had come in, leaving the teens to their breakfast and playing twenty questions with their onyx-eyed teen about what there was to do at Capsule Corporation.

Ten minutes into their breakfast, the door opened again and Lime walked in stretching with her hands behind her head and yawning. Her usually neat auburn hair was down and quite frizzy, and she was only clad in pajama pants and a tank top. She halted in the doorway, blankly staring at them for a moment before realizing who it was she was looking at. She glanced over at the clock above the fridge and laughed nervously, catching their attention.

"You guys are nuts! I thought you were kidding when you said you wanted to be here before seven-thirty! I'd have gotten dressed if I knew you were actually going to be here."

Gohan laughed and rolled his eyes at her, pointing a thumb over his shoulder at the food machine.

"Lime, just hush and get your coffee. It's just us, not the media."

She smirked and stuck her tongue out at him, but did as he said and joined them moments later, plopping down heavily in the chair next to her adopted brother.

"So guys, what do you want to do first? I mean you've got a week here to do literally whatever you want!"

Videl felt her eyes drawn once again to the tall onyx-eyed teen who sat across from her.

'Hear that Videl? _Do _whatever you want!'

_Oh shut up! Would you stay out of my mind!_

'Don't try to deny it! You want to see it all!'

_So?! Time and place girl, and I highly doubt this is it!_

'Why not? You're in his home, on vacation with nobody but friends around and _so _many places to get him alone with you.'

_He's not interested! He's just a friend, and I don't think that he'll be alright with it if I made a move on him!_

'You won't know until you try.'

She kicked herself in her mind, trying to rid it of the thoughts she was having. She hated that she was so attracted to the tall boy, but she'd be damned if there was anything she could do about it. Especially since she had learned of his past, the guy had just seemed so imperfectly perfect. She just wanted to comfort him, to be there in his life and have him there in return for her. On top of that, she thought he was just down-right sexy, and that was with the clothes still on.

"Well I'll tell you what _I _want to do! That pool looked amazing, so did the Jacuzzi. I noticed Videl was eyeing it hopefully too."

Erasa smiled slyly at her raven haired friend, making her cheeks flush with color. She didn't notice that across the table from her, Gohan was also blushing furiously, remembering the last time he had seen Videl in swim-wear. Sharpener clapped him on the back excitedly, his face composed into a grin and showing no signs that he had noticed his friend's blush either.

"Yea, I'm down! Gohan you in?"

"Ummm I don-"

Lime cut him off by smacking his arm lightly.

"Pshht! Come on Gohan it's just these three! Hell they've all seen you in those t-shirts you wear under your normal clothes and those don't hide that much!"

He frowned, furrowing his brow and staring at the table.

"Lime. You know exactly why I don't go around shirtless. What're they going to think?"

Sharpener's jaw dropped at his question, flabbergasted that his friend would ask such a thing. Across from him, Erasa smirked and crossed her arms.

"Oh. Come. _On_ man! What've you got to hide from us? We're your friends!"

"Besides! From what I've seen, you've got no reason to hide that bod!"

Videl's eyes widened and she tried to look anywhere but at the teen, trying to push the heat in her face away.

_Oh he's got a lot he's hiding from us, that's for sure. But it's true he really shouldn't be ashamed of that body. Just the little bit's I've seen…_

He growled and ran a hand through his midnight black hair, looking nervously out of the side of his eyes at Lime, who was giving him a "Just do it" sort of glare. For a few seconds he just gazed at her, contemplating what he should do. Finally making up his mind, he sighed and rested his head on his hand, propping it up on the table and glaring at his now empty trays in defeat.

"Fine, but don't be surprised when I get to say I told you so."

"Oh hush you big baby. You three got bathing suits?"

Sharpener and Erasa both nodded excitedly, eager to try out the rec-room they had been eyeing only a short while before. Videl laughed nervously and scratched her cheek in embarrassment, trying to hide her still flushed face.

"Nope, didn't really think about it. You have one I can wear Lime?"

The brunette laughed good-naturedly and waved of the question.

"Of course I have one you can wear! After all, you let me borrow one when we were at your house! It's the least I could do for you."

Gohan sighed heavily and stood, pushing his chair back and collecting up the trays scattered about the table.

"Well then, let's get you all moved into your rooms then. I'll have to dig for my swim trunks a bit, so I'll be late coming down. Lime, can you get Videl her codes and show her to your room once you're done with her?"

Lime nodded excitedly, not saying a word as she grabbed her raven haired friend by the hand, dragging her away from the table with a small "eep" and running off to the Son ward.

***LIME'S ROOM***

Lime burst through her door, dragging a slightly exasperated Videl behind her and shutting the door behind them. Immediately, she began rummaging through a large dresser while Videl took in the room around her. It was beautiful. Not overly decorated. Simple, yet very refined and extremely comfortable looking. Across from the dresser lime stood at was a large queen size bed with a fluffy looking comforter and several pillows. A simple pair of night-stands held a picture of what Videl guessed was Lime's family, and one of her and Gohan.

The Gohan in the picture was much younger, and she could only tell it was him by the scar on his face. They must have been around the age of twelve or thirteen, and he was dressed in a traditional white shirt and black trousers. He carried his adopted sister in his arms bridal style, and she noticed with a start that his hair was a bright blonde, and his eyes were teal.

_His gold fighter form! I already knew I was right thanks to 18, but still… To see it for myself? Ahhh I wish I were able to just talk to him about this! I just want to be able to talk to him! Is that so much to ask?_

"Hey Videl, what color do you want? I got blue, yell-… Videl?"

Videl continued to stare at the picture, lost in thought. She wasn't ignoring the girl, but there was so much she wanted to ask, even though she knew she couldn't. Lime traced her gaze, and blanched when she noticed which picture the raven haired beauty was staring at. She opened her mouth to say something, but Videl cut her off.

"How did you do it?"

Lime furrowed her brow and shut her mouth, looking at the picture, trying to find the meaning of her friend's question. How had she done what? The question she had been expecting was more along the lines of "why is Gohan's hair blonde?". She tore her gaze from the picture when she noticed that Videl was now sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at her knees with an expression filled with confusion and sorrow. Lime's heart nearly broke at the sight of her friend looking so down, but didn't know what to say. She was so lost at her question. Instead she just strode over and sat on the bed next to her, dropping the swimwear back in the drawer and picking up the photo to examine it.

"How did I do what?"

Videl laced her fingers together nervously, gazing longingly at the picture again.

"Well I mean… He's just so… Well… Happy in the picture. He's so open with you, and I know that you know everything there is to know about him. How did you gain his trust when he's so… So…"

Lime nodded in understanding and finished the thought for her.

"Distant? Videl I knew him before he lost his… The person he loved more than any other at the time, and he wasn't like this back then. He was happy, outgoing, and very nervous around new people. I've been with him the whole way through this transformation he's taken."

Videl nodded, her frown unwavering. Lime replaced the picture and tried to think of what to say to the girl when a thought occurred to her. She paused momentarily, watching her friend closely as she gazed at her hands. Slowly, the corners of her lips curled upwards and her eyes twinkled as she started connecting the dots.

"Videl, there's more to this than you're letting on isn't there?"

Her cerulean eyes widened and her face blushed as she stared at her friend. Her mouth hung slightly agape and she was struggling to make her voice work through her nervousness. Lime shushed her and laid a hand on top of Videl's, ecstatic at what she had just learned from her reaction.

"It's okay girl, don't be nervous about it! It's hard not to be attracted to him, I know! You want to know how to get closer to him because you want him for yourself right?"

Videl sighed in defeat, glancing down nervously.

"Well… Yea, I can't help it really. He's just so… You know…"

Lime giggled and held up her hand to number off his attributes on her fingers.

"Strong. Mysterious. Hard-to-get. Sexy. Definitely sexy."

"Lime! That's not what I was getting at and you know it!"

Lime laughed at her friends frustration and stood again, striding back over to the dresser and tossing a blue bikini top and bottom over her shoulder at the girl before grabbing her own red one and striding to the bathroom to change. Videl sat patiently on the edge of the bed, gnawing on her lower lip nervously before glancing towards the door.

"Hey Lime, could you not tell anyone about this conversation please? Erasa likes to play matchmaker with me, and I don't want Gohan to push me away more than he already has."

"Hey, why would I tell anyone? I think it's great that you like him! He's been so isolated from people that he's never even had a girlfriend before! He's a master of fighting, but in the department of love, he's a complete newbie! I swear if he wasn't so stubborn, he could go for any girl he wanted! All he would have to do is take his shirt off in public and they'd be all over him!"

Videl considered her words, making a mental note that he should probably avoid doing that. But the mental image she had been having of the boy returned in full force as Lime opened the door and strode out, donning a t-shirt over her bikini and smiling brightly at Videl. The raven haired beauty felt her face grow hot, and nervously glanced over at her friend, stumbling over her words as she asked what was on her mind.

"I've had my suspicions… That he's extremely muscular and whatnot, but he say's he's got something to hide. Just how… umm… how hot is he really?"

Lime quirked an eyebrow at her, a devious smirk playing on her face. She chuckled and leaned up against the dresser.

"Oh girl, you have no idea. Tell you what, get changed and he'll show you himself down by the pool. Just try to remember to hold onto your jaw?"

***TWENTY MINUTES LATER – AT THE POOL***

Videl coughed and sputtered, blinking the water out of her eyes and glaring hard at the spot where Sharpener had just cannon-balled into. She swam her way to the edge of the pool and pulled herself up so that she was sitting on the edge. Erasa walked over from her spot near the edge of the pool, clad in her lime-green bikini that revealed so much of her curvy figure, and sat next to her best friend. She smiled and glanced at the scar on her shoulder, poking at it and making Videl look down at the wound.

"That healed up really nice! Much better than the one on your leg. It's too bad though, you've got such smooth skin, and here you are with scars that mess it up."

Videl pouted and subconsciously rubbed her left shoulder with her right hand, giving her friend an offended look. Sharpener swam over towards them with a sly grin on his face, and he tread water just out of arm's reach from Videl.

"Oh come on Erasa, it doesn't make her look any worse! I still think you're hot!"

Videl rolled her eyes before giving him a "do you really want to continue this conversation" type look. He laughed nervously and backpedaled a few feet before halting and waving to someone behind the two girls. Videl turned around to see Gohan striding towards them, clad in a loose black t-shirt and a pair of red swim trunks. He looked nervous, and his skin was slightly paler than normal. He gave them a half-hearted wave and walked part way to the pool, sitting on the edge of a tanning chair.

"Come on brains! Get in, the water is great!"

Lime sighed and opened her eyes to glare at her adopted brother, frustration clear on her face. Couldn't he just get over it and get in the damned pool?

"Gohan! Just do it already! Kami nothing bad is going to happen! I swear, you can be such a worry-wart sometimes!"

Videl watched his expression change from worry to annoyance and then to defeat and nervousness in a split second. He sighed heavily and stood, crossing his arms in front of his stomach and grabbing onto the bottom of his shirt. Videl held her breath, not daring to take her eyes off of the young man. He pulled his arms up, removing the shirt in one motion and dropping it on the chair he had been occupying seconds before.

_Oh. My. Kami…_

She could practically hear Erasa's jaw crash to the deck next to the pool, and she let out a tiny "wow" as she openly stared at him. Sharpener let out a low whistle of amazement and continued to tread water. Her own shock matched theirs. She had seen Vegeta that morning in nothing but a small pair of shorts, and she had imagined that Gohan looked as impressive. But this?

Every muscle on his body was swollen with the results of years of hard work, and each one was toned to perfection. His well-muscled chest rippled with every motion he made, and his wash-board abs were defined with an emphasis that made Videl's stomach churn with desire. His shoulders were broad and sharp with definition, and she felt a pang of recognition at the huge white scar that covered his left shoulder down to his perfectly sculpted bicep.

_Of course, dad said he was hurt bad on his shoulder. There's no way he would have not gotten a scar, but Kami that thing is huge!_

She studied him for what felt like an hour, observing every detail she could. She noticed that like her, his body was covered in scars and signs of abuse, though his collection of scars far exceeded her own. She hated her scars, knowing that each one represented a mistake, and thought that hey marred her appearance. But on him, she couldn't thing anything but how much more amazing it made him look. It made him look even stronger than his sculpted muscles ever could on their own, and she could feel the desire to run her hands over him and explore emerge again.

She felt her stomach churn, and blushed furiously when she realized that her mouth was hanging wide open. She felt a heat run from her core to her heart, which was pounding in her chest and all the way back down to between her legs. Suddenly thankful that she wasn't a guy, she slid herself quickly into the cool water of the pool in an attempt to calm down, leaving a still stunned Erasa and Sharpener at the edge of the pool.

_Holy shit! Lime wasn't kidding when she said I had no idea..._

**A/N: Stay tuned for the next one, it's going to resume immediately after this one! On another note, just wanted to mention that I don't intend to have a full on lemon scene in this story, as that's not the purpose of it. There shall probably be a couple spurts of citrusy goodness here and there, but nothing full on I think. ANYWHATS, I hope you enjoyed!**


	15. A Dangerous Prospect

**Hey guys! Well, here's the next chapter! Like I said, it's a continuation of the last one. Next one is in the works, and just FYI it's not the tournament! Not yet anyways. You'll see what's going to happen soon enough! Keep the reviews coming, I get a lot of ideas based on what is said, even indirectly. R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 15 - A Dangerous Prospect**

***CAPSULE CORPORATION POOL***

_Well… Here goes nothing…_

Gohan inhaled deeply, and in one motion, lifted his Black shirt over his head and off of his body. He could feel their eyes on him as he stripped down to his swim trunks. There was an audible gasp and a very quiet "wow" from one of the girls, and someone let out a low whistle. He could feel the heat rush to his face and he glanced nervously over at the three teens by the edge of the pool, steadily making his way towards them.

Erasa and Videl both were staring at him wide-eyed. He hated to admit it to himself, but he was pleased to see that their looks were that of admiration as much as shock. He watched Videl's eyes trace their glare over his body, pausing momentarily on his left shoulder. A pained expression took over her face, and Gohan felt uneasiness settle into his stomach.

_Great, I knew it… Just another thing for them to ask me about. I don't think I could handle talking about it with them. I can barely talk to Lime about it._

He neared the edge of the pool, and suddenly caught a scent that shot a jolt down his spine. It was sweet, but not flowery or candy-like, and it churned his stomach in a manner completely foreign to him. There was no way for him to describe the scent as it assaulted his senses, and momentarily stunned him into inaction. His heart rate shot up and he tensed nervously, trying to understand what was going on. Suddenly, as soon as it appeared, it was gone.

_Okay what the hell was that?! What could have that sort of effect on me?_

He shook his head and glanced around, noticing that Videl had disappeared into the depths of the pool, and Sharpener had just emerged from it and was standing at the edge, arms crossed and his eyes still wide as he approached. Erasa was still seated on the edge of the pool, her breath slightly faster than normal as she continued to stare at the demi-saiyan.

"Okay man, what the hell?! I work out on a daily basis to get this look, but you? How in the hell? What do you do?!"

Gohan quirked an eyebrow at the boy, not halting and glancing down at himself in confusion. He knew that he was far beyond that of what an average human was capable of, considering that even in full-blooded Saiyan standards, he was in extremely good shape. But Sharpener's question hadn't been the one he was expecting in the least.

_I can't look that different, I mean Sharpener himself is pretty well defined, so the only thing that should have appeared too strange is the scars. I mean, did they not notice the giant white star plastered over my shoulder? Or the other countless small scars from previous battles? Well let's hope that it means they don't care._

"Well, I've been on the same workout routine since I was a small child, and I've been training for fights just as long. Mostly body-weight exercises and things like that, but sometimes I'll just wear weighted clothing."

He shrugged, and continued to the edge of the pool, pausing next to sharpener and a still stunned Erasa. He glanced around and noticed that Videl was emerging from the other side of the pool. She pulled herself up, the water rushing out of her long hair and down her ivory skin, and Gohan felt his stomach churn again as her figure was revealed to him in the bikini she had borrowed. He sensed someone stand next to him, and turned his gaze to Erasa as she prodded him in the stomach curiously. He flinched and backed away from her, his stomach tightening in a spasm slightly as her finger found a ticklish spot.

"Hey don't do that! Not funny!"

Erasa attempted to stifle a giggle as she realized she had just discovered one of Gohan's weaknesses. She ultimately failed, falling into a fit of laughter. Gohan crossed his arms and pouted at her, further fueling her mirth. He could hear Lime from her place in the hot tub laughing at him, and he noticed that Videl had joined her there and was fighting to control her own fit of laughter. He heard a snort from right next to him and turned his head towards Sharpener just in time to see his arm retract and push him right in the back.

For all of Gohan's training, and his natural prowess due to his genes, he was completely caught off guard by the shove, and Sharpener was strong for a human. He tumbled forward with a yelp and splashed face-first into the cold water of the pool, making him subconsciously cringe and freeze. He could hear the muffled laughter of his friends as he righted himself below the water and glared up through the wavy surface at the blurry forms of the blondes, his face set into a glare.

_So that's how they want to play?_

He smirked as an idea popped into his head, and he spiked his ki, searching for a certain lavender haired demi-saiyan. Finding him, he used his limited ability of telepathy that Piccolo had taught him to send brief message to Trunks. He pushed off of the floor of the pool, satisfied that the blondes would get theirs once they fell asleep that night. His head broke the surface, and he shot them both a silent glare, freezing them in place, panic clearly written on their faces. He smirked, his glare slowly changing to a devious smile, and he shot forward, grabbing them by the ankles and jerking them into the pool over his head. The two blondes screeched in panic before crashing into the water, reducing Gohan to full on laughter at discovering Sharpener screamed like a girl when he panicked.

***OVER AT THE HOT TUB***

Videl laughed at the blonde teens' predicament. The smile on her face was mirrored by Limes as they sat back, relaxing in the hot water of the Jacuzzi. Lime sighed deeply, placing her arms on the edge of the small pool and leaning back into a set of water-jets at her back. Videl did likewise, letting her mind and body relax completely. She closed her eyes and for a few minutes, just listened to the other three wrestle and generally have a good time. She heard her best friend giggle and squeal and cracked her eyes just in time to see Gohan toss her high into the air and disappear into the water. She caught sight of his expression of joy, and felt a pang of jealousy towards the blonde, surprising herself.

"So Videl, now that you've seen it, was I right or what?"

Videl started and looked over at Lime, who was still leaned back against the edge of the pool with her eyes closed and a sly smirk on her face. She felt her face grow hot, even over the heat rising of the Jacuzzi, but couldn't hide the small smile that crossed her face as she viewed the mental snapshot of Gohan.

"Yea, definitely beyond what I could have ever imagined. It's no wonder he doesn't take it off in public… Though I think his reason is different isn't it?"

Lime cracked her eyes, her expression suddenly curious.

"How do you mean?"

Videl furrowed her brow, trying to find the words to convey what she thought without letting on that she knew exactly how he had gotten at least one of the scars that decorated his perfect body.

"Well, I hide my scars from the public eye if I can, though they all know that I have them because the media can't help but get in my business when I get hurt on the job. It would only be natural for someone to start asking questions if he seemed less than normal. He barely want's attention from even us, much less the public eye. _That _is something I think we can all attest to."

_That and if the world knew he was the one to kill Cell, the entire world's perception on the truth would come crashing down, and I think he and I would agree that's not a good option. I can only assume that that's why he hasn't come forward yet._

Lime continued to gaze at the raven haired girl, contemplating her statement. She blinked a couple times and shrugged.

"Well yea, he really doesn't like attention, but that's really only part of the equation. I mean, you saw how hard it was for you three to get to the point that he really started relaxing around you right? Also, I know he's not blind."

Videl cocked her head to the side, questioning her silently. Lime smirked and quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Ah, then you _didn't _see his face when you got out of the pool to come over here?"

Lime giggled as Videl blushed and glanced over to the pool quickly. Her and Gohan's eyes met as he surfaced, shaking the water from his hair, which was still standing stiff despite the water that clung to it. He grinned at her from the pool before quickly turning and swimming back over to where Erasa and Sharpener were waiting for him.

"Girl, you don't know him that well, so I can tell you honestly… He's got it bad for you!"

Videl's eyes snapped open and she stared at Lime, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"How can you tell? I mean, are you sure? He never acts like –"

"Videl chill! I don't think he even realizes it yet, or maybe he doesn't admit it himself, but I've never seen that look on his face until just then. He's always wearing the same expression, so it's easy to spot a different one, and I can definitely tell desire when I see it."

Videl's heart jumped in her chest, and she let a small smile play on her face as she watched her brunette friend. It was exactly what she had been hoping for, that mutual attraction. But she still had her doubts and reservations.

'See, now you go get him and satisfy that hunger of yours!'

_Ugh that's a horrible way to put it. Remember, he hasn't gotten to that point yet with me, no matter what he may subconsciously do._

'So pull it out of him! It's there, just reach down and grab it!'

_DIRTY! Besides, I don't want to force him to decide! I mean, he could completely shut down on me, and I may never get the chance to get him to open up._

As if she were reading the girls thoughts, Lime gently grabbed her shoulder. Videl emerged from her inner war and looked over at her, worry evident in her expression. Lime's expression wasn't quite happy, but instead like that of an older sister giving advice to a sibling who had done something wrong.

"Videl, don't push it on him okay? There's a reason he doesn't get too close to people, not even me. Believe me when I say that he's afraid of really getting close to someone, especially when it comes to the possibility of love. He's an older brother to me, and I love him as much as anyone could, and I know he loves me back, but he will never say it out loud. I havn't heard him say the words all but maybe a dozen times since I've known him, and it's always been towards his little brother and sister. It's a vulnerability to him, though I know he craves it just like any other. He knows the pain of loss very well, and he's not keen to experience it again."

Videl nodded, her eyes unfocused as she considered his situation. She was very knowledgeable when it came to the pain of loss, having experienced it both when her mother had left, and every time she had decided to personally inform the families of fallen officers of their fates. Of all the things that had ever happened to her, the worst times where when she felt the pain of loss.

"It was his father wasn't it? Goku was the person he lost that made him change?"

The words came out of her mouth before she could really register what she was doing, and she glanced nervously at Lime hoping she hadn't revealed too much. Lime only hesitated for a moment before grimacing and nodding. Those emerald eyes never left hers, and she knew that Lime was thinking hard about what she had said.

"I'm guessing you figured that one out thanks to my little slip-up at school that day? Do all three of you know?"

Videl just nodded, swallowing past the lump in her throat. She knew she was playing a dangerous game, giving hints to how much she knew about Gohan.

"Well, that little bit of information is not public knowledge, but it's not really that hard to figure out I guess. The world doesn't know that their former champion died all those years ago, but then Gohan and his friends don't speak about him either."

"Yea, I figured it out by piecing together what I knew. His mother is the Ox princess and all, but his father defeated the Demon King, _and _the red ribbon army by himself as a child. Yet he never spoke about him to us, it just seemed strange. And then that incident with the football team? It kinda just clicked into place."

Lime nodded, staring over at her adopted brother with a grim expression.

"Just don't bring it up okay? I've done it a few times, and it's very difficult to pull him out of that hole when he falls in. Eventually he'll come around and talk about it, but I don't think I'll ever be part of that conversation."

Emerald locked with cerulean as their eyes met, and Lime let out a small, sad smile.

"Who know's, maybe you'll be the one to crack that case?"

Videl's stomach plummeted at the girl's expression, and guilt washed over her. Here was someone who had been with the tall teen for years, telling her that she would not be the one to have such an important heart-to-heart with him. Instead she was suggesting that someone who had only known him for a couple months and had a severe crush on him would be the one.

Before anything else could be spoken between the two, the subject of their conversation made his appearance. He strode into the Jacuzzi and settled himself next to his adopted sister, across from Videl. He sighed and leaned back against the wall, shutting his eyes with a relaxed expression. Videl's focused hard, forcing herself to look anywhere but at his amazing form.

'Go ahead and sit by him!'

_No! He would've sat over here if he wanted to be close to me!_

'Just do it! You know you want to touch!'

_I know better than to do that!_

'Yet.'

_Don't get your hopes up girl…_

***THAT AFTERNOON***

Videl laughed as she saw the large TV in the Son living room light up with the words "SCORPION WINS!" with the ninja standing in the background holding the severed head and spinal column of his blue-masked opponent. The gruesome nature of the video game was a parody to her, having seen real death and destruction up close and personal. Even funnier than that though was the two boys who were playing the game.

Gohan was leaned back against a bean bag chair with a smug grin on his face, while Sharpener was clutching the controller with a frustrated grimace as he glared at the dark haired teen. The three girls were all seated on the couch, thoroughly enjoying watching Gohan and Sharpener go at it over and over again.

"Dude, I'm telling you, you've got to be cheating or something! There's no way that Sub-Zero would lose to Scorpion in a fair fight!"

Gohan gave him an expression of mock-hurt, pulling a giggle from Lime as she watched the exchange.

"Why Sharpie, I would never! Just because you couldn't beat me in a fight if your life depended on it…"

"Oh you want to bet? Bring it-"

"Sharpener. I'm not going to fight you for real, so shut your cock-holster and let's go again!"

Videl snorted and fought to control her laughter at his analogy. Lime and Erasa had less bearing and burst into bouts of uproarious laughter while Sharpener blinked his eyes in surprise.

"GOHAN! WHERE DID YOU LEARN LANGUAGE LIKE THAT?!"

All of the teen's eyes snapped wide open, and Gohan's face paled at the sound of that shrill voice. Videl glanced around, looking for the source of the voice before two little blurs zipped across the room and tackled the tall teen, sending him flat on his back as the bean bag absorbed the impact.

"BIG BROTHER!"

Videl's brain slowly started back up as she watched two small children bounce excitedly on her crushes chest while he lay there stunned. One was a small boy who looked almost exactly like Goku in the tournament footage from the twenty first and second tournaments, and had a huge grin plastered on his face. He was dressed in an orange gi with a long sleeve navy shirt underneath, and was firmly attached to his brother's chest. The other child sat next to him, her hands held up in excitement. Her hair was short, and stuck out haphazardly, falling in a mess down around her ears. She was dressed in a traditional fighting kimono with a pair of loose trousers and a sleeveless top.

Gohan blinked and roused himself from his state of shock and a wide grin adorned his face as he looked at his siblings.

"Hey squirts! You two didn't miss me did you?"

He sat himself up, carrying the two children with him, who clutched onto him. The little boy buried his face in the fabric of Gohan's button up shirt, and the little girl pouted up at him with bright shiny eyes.

"But Gohan! You were gone forever! I thought you wouldn't come back!"

Videl had to restrain herself from letting out an 'aww' at the adorable pout the girl was giving her crush. She noticed that Gohan was also extremely affected by her display. He stood and cradled both of the children in his arms, letting a sorrowful expression settle on his face as he gazed upon his little sister.

"I'm sorry Ria, tell you what. We'll find Trunks and play tonight before you all go to bed okay?"

He bounced her in his arm, forcing a giggle out of her. She flung her tiny arms around his neck and nodded excitedly. Gohan smiled and looked around for the other member of his family. Videl felt herself melt inside at the interaction between the teen and his siblings.

_He's so good with those two, I would swear that he was their father! So that's what he looks like when he's letting himself be free with his feelings? Dammit Gohan, why must you be so… so perfect?!_

She saw his smile fade slowly into a nervous grimace, and he cleared his throat. He moved as if to drop the two children in his arms, but after a moment of hesitation, seemed to think better of it. Videl traced his eyes as they moved steadily about the room and saw his mother striding across the room with a stern scowl on her face and her arms crossed. Her eyes widened in recognition, and she suddenly felt nervous around the woman. She halted just in front of her children, all of whom were looking at her apprehensively.

_Man, talk about scary. Any woman that can make him _that _nervous has to be pretty tough._

'Maybe you should talk to her? Learn some tricks of the trade?'

_Hey, I don't want to control Gohan remember! Although…_

'Being able to get him to do what you want…'

_Would have its benefits here and there… hmm maybe later._

"Young man, I heard that little analogy, and I don't know where you picked that sort of language up, but I know I taught you better than that."

Gohan laughed nervously and shrugged, indicating with his head towards the still stunned Sharpener, who couldn't seem to register what he was seeing just yet.

"Sorry mom, just some playful banter. Teenager sort of thing you know? Found that out through Yamcha."

The woman cocked an eyebrow at him, her scowl unwavering.

"Well then tell Yamcha that I'll be having a conversation with him soon! Don't let me hear it come out of your mouth again young man."

"Okay, okay you won't!"

Videl watched carefully, feeling the tension heavy in the air. The two children clutched in his grasp stared fearfully at their mother, not fully understanding what had just transpired. Chi chi sighed and rolled her eyes with a slight shake of the head. Her scowl dissipated and turned into a smirk.

"Ugh I can't even stay mad at you! That _was _a good one."

The tension snapped and Lime snorted into her hands, rising to her feet and striding over to the woman and giving her a hug.

"Come on Chi, you know better than to think you could ever stay mad at Gohan! Big oaf is just too lovable!"

"Hey!"

Sharpener and Erasa burst into laughter at their friend's expression, and Videl let out a sigh of relief that his mother wasn't as harsh as she had first imagined. Lime and Chi Chi broke apart and the elder woman looked to her oldest son.

"Well Gohan, are you going to introduce us? We've heard so much about your new friends, but you haven't brought them over yet!"

The three teens rose and gathered in a small group next to the Son family. Gohan gently bounced the two children in his arms, again getting giggles from them.

"These two runts are Goten and Ria, my little brother and sister. They're twins."

The two children clutched onto their brother's shirt in an identical fashion and stared wide-eyed at the teens gathered before them. Videl thought that they were just the cutest things she had ever seen, and the blonde girl next to her seemed to think along exactly the same lines.

"They're just _adorable_! I'm totally jealous of you Gohan!"

Gohan chuckled and shook his head at her.

"You might not be saying that if you get pranked by them. They're a mischievous duo, and Kami forbid you add Trunks into the mix…"

Videl almost cringed when his smirk turned evil and he gave both Sharpener and Erasa a significant look. Sharpener paled slightly, but didn't make a noise. Erasa didn't even seem to notice what he had just said and was giggling excitedly. Gohan stepped to the side and nodded towards his mother.

"And this is my mom, Chi Chi. Mom, this is Sharpener, Erasa, and Videl."

Just like with Bulma, the three teens bowed respectfully towards the Son matron, who smiled brightly and returned the gesture. She righted herself and took in the three teens, taking mental notes.

_Sharpener… He seems to be alright, though he kinda looks like a punker with that long hair and the muscle shirt. The blonde girl, Erasa… she's quite pretty. Too much makeup though. She talks a lot, I can already tell. But at least she looks like a positive personality. I can practically feel the energy bubbling off of her, a lot like Goku actually… And Videl… The Daughter of Hercule Satan, and the last person I would have ever expected Gohan to befriend. She doesn't even resemble her father! She must have gotten her looks from her mother. Kami those eyes are beautiful!_

Her smile brightened ever so slightly and one blissful thought burst into her head.

_To beautiful girls already in his circle of friends?... GRANDBABIES!_

The four shook hands and informal introductions were made between all parties. Gohan stood to the side as Sharpener and Erasa asked her question after question about long forgotten days when she had been training for the tournament, or about the Ox kingdom. Chi Chi was more than happy enough to answer all of their questions, excited to have someone to talk to besides her usual group. Videl took the opportunity to visit with the Son children, who Gohan was still carrying in his arms. The two ceased their excited chatter as she approached and watched her closely. She smiled nervously and halted before them, suddenly unsure of what to say.

"You're Videl right?"

She glanced over at Goten, whose expression was one of puzzlement and nodded her head. Ria smiled at her and tugged on her elder brothers shirt excitedly.

"Gohan, she's really pretty like Lime! Can she be our sister too?"

Videl again felt her heart melt into a puddle of her waning resolve, and her face grew hot with embarrassment. Gohan chuckled and bounced the girl in his arms before gesturing towards his short friend.

"Well, why don't you ask her? I'm sure she couldn't say no to your puppy-dog eyes now could she?"

Ria gave out an excited giggle and leapt from Gohan's arms, landing heavily in Videl's surprised grasp. She staggered slightly under the impressive weight of the child.

_Kami, how can a little girl weigh so much? What are they made of? Granite?_

'Well if Gohan's muscles are any indication.'

_Damn that's possible. Kami, I wonder how much he weighs if his seven year old sister weighs this much?_

'Just think, their mother had to carry them both at the same time. She's got to be one tough woman!'

_Wow yea. I wonder how rough it would be having to carry a child that heavy._

'Well why don't you find out? Gohan's right there!'

_NOPE! Not going there any time soon! We aren't even dating!_

She regained her balance and stood straight, looking nervously at the little girl who was grabbing onto the front of her shirt with her little legs wrapped around her waist as far as they could go. She was smiling sweetly up at the raven haired beauty with the most adorably huge shiny eyes that she could muster, and Videl knew it was all over before she had even began to speak with that tiny little voice of hers.

"Videl, can you be our sister? _Pleeeaaaase_?"

Videl pouted and sent Gohan a glare. He just smirked and gave her a "Sorry, your problem not mine" sort of look. She looked back at the girl and felt the rest of her resolve disappear into those gorgeous black orbs.

"Awww how could I say no to _that_? Of course I can!"

Ria beamed at her and pulled her into a tight hug, and Videl was astounded by the strength of the child as she clung to her. Goten squirmed his way out of his older brothers arms and bound up to her as well, jumping and settling himself into the short girls grasp right next to his sister. Videl staggered under the sudden weight, but kept herself standing as she held the two children.

_Damn they've got one hell of a grip. It seems that they all have an unnatural strength…_

She glanced at Gohan, who was wearing a small smile as he watched his little siblings interact with his friend. Her heart skipped a beat, and she blushed.

_Maybe this is a step in the right direction? If his younger brother and sister can accept me…_

She was startled by a gentle hand on her shoulder, and turned her head to see Lime standing next to her with a sly smile.

"You look good with kids, trying to make a statement here?"

Videl felt her face grow hot as she remembered the argument she had been having with herself only a minute before, and her eyes widened. She shook her head in denial, but Lime just rolled her eyes and reached out to pry Ria off of her friends chest.

"Come on runt, I think you and your brother need to go play. I just saw Trunks trying to be sneaky out in the hall, so I bet he's up to no good. You'd better go find him."

The girl gave out a short bark of a laugh and shot out of the room. Videl glanced down at the boy in her arms, and was surprised to see the exact same devious smirk that she had seen Gohan wear before. He shifted his gaze to her, and she felt a chill run up her spine. He took the moment of surprise to break out of her grasp and bolt after his sister, giggling the whole way. Videl stared after the twins as they left, suddenly worried about this afternoon.

***THAT EVENING – VIDEL'S ROOM***

Videl sighed heavily as she sunk herself into the large bathtub in the bathroom attached to her guest room. The day had been extremely stressful for her, and a long soak in the hot water was just what she had been craving since her dip in the Jacuzzi that morning. She smiled to herself as she remembered the events of the day, summarizing it all up.

_Stressful yes… But it was really wonderful too. The only thing that could have made it better would have been Gohan and I being together._

There were so many other things to be excited about though. She had been introduced to, and was now on first-name basis with, the most famous woman in the world. She had finally met Chi Chi and the twins, who she believed to be the most precious little things in the world. She understood Gohan's affection for them immediately, despite their rowdy nature. There had been the time at the pool and discovering exactly how attracted to Gohan she was. The image that had burned itself into her brain resurfaced, and she felt the same rush of heat from her core take her as less than proper thoughts bubbled into her mind.

She sighed, forcing the thoughts away and refocusing. The rest of the day was filled with seemingly mundane things. From sitting around and playing video games to eating dinner with the Briefs and Sons. But each event brought new information to her. She had learned that Bulma wasn't kidding when she spoke earlier about her boys' and Godchildren's appetites. Vegeta had put away a considerably larger amount of food than Gohan, a feat she thought had been impossible. They had just spent the evening with the Brief family, even Vegeta who had reluctantly joined upon the prying of his wife.

Videl laughed inwardly at the memory of the Blue haired woman sternly demanding the obedience of the short man. Her glare had earned her a nervous look from him, an expression that Videl had never expected to see on his sharp features. They sat across from the teens, who were practically bursting with questions. Somehow, they had managed to get to the subject of the upcoming world martial arts tournament.

**~~~Flashback~~~**

"That pathetic excuse for a fight? There would only be one reason for me to go to such an event, and that's if Kakarot were there. Since he won't be there, neither will I."

Videl furrowed her brow, trying to think of who this Kakarot person was. Bulma slapped him on the arm, her expression one of annoyance. She glanced nervously over at Gohan, who was sitting away from the group slightly. Videl traced her gaze and was surprised to find the boy standing, his face set in a pained grimace. He turned on his heel and left, leaving his mother and siblings looking after him nervously. Vegeta snorted and crossed his arms, glaring after the boy. Videl returned her gaze to the man, curious as to why Gohan had reacted so. Bulma rounded on him, smacking him hard across the back of his head.

"Now why did you have to go and do that! You know how dangerous it is to talk about him in front of Gohan like that! You're going to have to deal with it this time buster!"

_What in the world is she talking about? Who is this Kakarot person?_

Without another word, Vegeta stood and strode away from the group and out the same door that Gohan had left through. She couldn't read his expression as he left, but she suddenly felt fearful for the short man. Whatever he had done to upset the teen, she didn't envy him. Bulma Sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering something about retarded men and arrogant dicks. Dropping her hand to her lap, she sighed and returned her attention to the puzzled teens.

"My husband and Gohan's father were once rivals from the same tribe of people. Goku lost his memory from the time before he arrived here and was adopted by his Grandfather, which is Gohan's name-sake. Goku's birth name is Kakarot, and I'm sure you three know by now that he is no longer with us."

Videl soaked up every word that was said, stashing it away later for further review. They had heard the stories about the world martial arts tournaments and their adventures from Bulma's teenage years. There were even a couple from the Son Matron about how life had been during her youth. But somehow, the information that Goku and Vegeta were connected before all of that seemed to be an even more important piece of information, though she couldn't quite figure out how.

The conversation paused a moment as a dull shaking rattled the house, and a faint bang could be heard. Videl's heart jumped in anticipation and she nearly shot up, mentally preparing to fight. Chi Chi placed a hand on her shoulder, her eyes unfocused as she spoke, her mind obviously elsewhere.

"That's just Vegeta and Gohan sweety, don't worry about it."

_What?! You've got to be kidding me! I mean, I've seen first-hand how strong Gohan is! If they're not careful, one or both of them are going to get hurt._

Her worry seemed to show on her face, because Bulma sighed and leaned up against the arm of the couch, propping her head up on her hand and rolling her eyes.

"Videl, it's fine. They do this sort of thing all the time. They're both extremely tough."

The raven haired beauty sighed in defeat and resigned herself to sink into the couch, her adrenaline burst dissipating rapidly and leaving her in a state of lethargy. She felt Erasa shuffle in her seat on the couch, and turned to see her gazing uncertainly at the Son Matron.

"Chi Chi… If you don't mind me asking… I mean, I just want to know… How… How did Goku die?"

Panic shot through Videl and she turned her wide eyes towards the Son matron, nervously awaiting the outburst she felt was coming. To her surprise, the woman's face fell with sorrow, but then picked up again as memories of her husband resurfaced, and pride was dominant on her face.

"I'm sorry, I thought that Gohan would have told you all by now. My Goku died a little over seven years ago now. He sacrificed his own life to save those of his family. Were it not for him, none of us would be here with you right now."

Videl again felt the cold chill of fear and anxiety rush through her veins. She knew exactly who it was that had killed Goku, and noted how the Son Matron carefully avoided mentioning Cell, or the fact that he had saved far more than just his family. Bulma chose that moment to interject, changing the subject ever so slightly.

"That's part of the reason that Vegeta is so harsh when it comes to Goku. He's constantly been fighting to make himself better than Goku. When he left us, Vegeta suddenly had nobody left but Gohan. Trunks was only an infant at the time and the twins weren't born yet. The result is what you just witnessed today. Vegeta pushes Gohan's buttons to get him riled up, and then fights him to test himself against his Rival's son."

Another hollow boom echoed through the building, and Bulma smirked.

"And more often than not, Gohan comes out on top."

Silence reigned over the party, and Videl lost herself in her thoughts. Piecing together all the extra information she had just received, adding them into the big picture that was the puzzle of Gohan. Sharpener stirred off to her right, and asked a question that made Videl cringe slightly.

"So, do you think that there's a possibility of them joining the tournament next month? I mean, I personally want to see them fight. They've both been training a long time right? I bet they could even put up a good resistance with Mr. Satan. It'd be awesome to see them go at it."

Bulma laughed, sharing a look with her best friend. Chi Chi just rolled her eyes and smirked.

"Well what do you think Chi? It would be fun to get the gang back together wouldn't it? Just for old time's sake? Shoot we could even see if Tien and Launch want to come! It'd be nice having that crazy broad with us for crowd control huh?"

Videl's eyebrows shot up into her hair. Surely, they weren't actually considering attending the tournament? Could she actually get the chance to meet the rest of the group of fighters responsible for the defeat of Cell?

"Oh why not? It's not like we've had an excuse to call everyone together the last few years. I think the last time was when Krillin and 18 got hitched! I'll start making calls tomorrow."

**~~~ End Flashback~~~**

Videl closed her eyes, sinking further into the sudsy water and letting the heat soak into her bones. Certainly, today had been an interesting day. She was excited at the prospect of all of Gohan's friends attending the tournament, but one thought plagued her mind.

_What is Gohan going to do?_

**A/N: Slightly shorter than the last couple, I know. But it's all for a reason! For those of you getting anxious to see some more Bardock action, fear not. It's coming soon! See you next time! Hopefully i'll have it up here within a day or two.**


	16. Conflicts and Decisions

**Hey guys! This one turned out a lot longer than I though it was going to be. I read through the old chapters and all of the reviews, pulling a couple ideas here and there for it. Lots of dialogue, and lots of fun... stuff... Oh just read it, you'll find out! Fair warning, there are some rather graphic parts in this chapter laced with some dark humor. Beware! R&amp;R and review!**

**Chapter 16: Conflicts and Decisions**

***EARLY MORNING TWO DAYS LATER – BRIEF WARD***

"Woman, you need to keep that harpy away from me! Those brats too! The little girl interfered with mine and Gohan's training this morning and nearly got herself killed! And whose fault was it when Kakarot's woman found out what she had done?"

"I know Vegeta, but you of all people should understand the fighting spirit Ria has! She's so much like her older brother! She just wants to be as good as you two!"

Bulma rubbed her temples in frustration, not daring to look at her husband in her current state. She had stayed up late the night before, going through security measures with her staff leads in case of a catastrophic failure of her current project: The time communicator. In her current state with the lack of sleep or proper food, she was tense as a guitar string, and her husband's ranting was doing her no good. She understood Vegeta's concern, if you could call it that, but also knew that there was truly little she could do to control the twins.

Vegeta humphed and crossed his arms, sitting heavily on a couch in their living room and planting his elbows firmly on his thighs. His face was contorted into a scowl and his brow furrowed. Bulma inhaled deeply, catching a whif of his musky scent that calmed her so well. She could feel the tension behind her eyes dissipate enough that her frustration subsided, and she opened her eyes to watch Vegeta. He glanced towards her, and she felt a wave of guilt and worry wash over her that didn't originate from her mind.

_So that's it then. You don't want her to get hurt? Vegeta you arrogant prick, why can't you just admit what it is you're feeling?_

"Bulma, Gohan's state of mind is getting worse. I don't think that even his harpy mother realizes the turmoil in his mind. The girl want's to fight with us, she wants to be the best, but Gohan is struggling to figure out who he is still and she cannot interfere!"

Bulma shook her head in puzzlement, startled at his words. She mulled them over in her head for a moment, trying to understand what he was trying to get at. She slowly strode over and sat next to him, cupping her hands in her lap and staring at the floor in concentration.

_Okay so that's not what I expected. I got that he's worried about Ria getting hurt, just as much as he is whenever Trunks trains with him… But this thing with Gohan? He hasn't seemed happier in the last seven years than he has been the last couple weeks! I was certain that he was finally making good progress!_

She turned her eyes on her husband, brow still set in confusion. He suddenly shifted towards her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to him. She hesitated a moment, but upon inhaling his scent full-blast, she relaxed completely, resting her head on his shoulder and shutting her eyes.

"You smell that Bulma? That's something that only you can sense from me, as part of the bond we share through my species' mating habits. Just like we can sense moods, and in semi-rare occasions, words from each other's minds."

She nodded, knowing full well the ups and downs of her bond with the man next to her. The seemingly ancient scar at the base of her neck where he had bit her so many years ago tingled at the memory. Yet she was still unsure of what that had to do with her husband's worries.

"Vegeta, we've been married for seven years now, mated for longer than that. But I don't-"

"It's started for Gohan, and the boy doesn't even realize what it is yet."

Bulma's eyes snapped open and she pulled away to stare at him, completely baffled at the revelation. They remained like that for a few seconds, blue clashing with pitch black as she tried to pick up on her husband's thoughts.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I can't really, but when the brats arrived the other day, I noticed that one, or both of them was rutting. I couldn't be certain which."

She cocked an eyebrow at him, her lips pursed in distaste at his choice of words, but she let it slide.

"Rutting? You mean that she was 'in season' or something like that?"

"I mean that whichever one it is, is forming that attachment to him, and I think it's been affecting the boy too. This morning his scent was… different. He's begun to change physically and his hormones are kicking into full gear."

Bulma blinked her eyes in surprise.

_Gohan? Beginning to mate already? How? He's only eighteen… Oh well I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, Goku and Chi Chi were both eighteen when they were married and had Gohan. Gosh am I already that old?!_

"Wait, how is this a bad thing? I mean, look at you! No offense, but before you met me, you were a wreck."

He smirked, closing his eyes and leaning back against the couch.

"Bulma, I was a slightly different case. When we mated, it was a conscious decision on my part, and I had already gone past my first bouts of hormones. I knew how to control it, and while yes, you did provide me with a much more stable state of mind, Gohan is by no means prepared for this. You know even better than I do how much he was affected by Kakarot's death, and I know he's still not over it. He even refuses to use the fighting techniques he and his father have in common! He favors the ones he learned from the Namek, even after all these years! Tell me, what would you do if on top of all of that emotional turmoil, you discovered you had allowed another to become so close as to be mated with them for life?"

Bulma considered the question, at first not really understanding his point. But the more she thought about it, the more his logic made sense, and the more dread clung to her. She knew that Gohan believed it was his fault his father had died, and the twins had never had a father as a result. She knew all too well from her best friend, and from her own experience that he never let anyone but a tiny circle of friends into his life to a point of admitting feelings for them. Sure he had friends, but even the rest of the Z-fighters felt the cold shoulder from him more often than not. If he did realize his feelings for a woman, he would probably run from it, just as he had when he learned of Chi Chi's pregnancy. Then a worse thought occurred: He could fight it.

Vegeta nodded, watching her expression change as she thought out the most likely actions of the young teen. She returned her eyes to him, her face as serious as it could be.

"What do you propose we do? I mean, we can't just tell him can we?"

"No, that wouldn't work. It's already begun, whether he knows it or not. His Saiyan instincts have already kicked in and his mind is changing to accommodate the mating. I don't know how different it is for a half saiyan, but we full-blooded Saiyans make mates for life. A saiyan becomes the second most dangerous being to mess with, the first being his mate. That includes the saiyan himself. If Gohan doesn't accept it, if he were to refuse it, he would ultimately be destroyed."

"You mean…?"

"He will most likely kill himself out of self-induced grief. He nearly succeeded inadvertently when he ran from his mother and got his facial scar, and that was nothing compared to the pain he would feel from severing his ties with his mate of his own will."

Bulma blanched, her heart jumping into her throat as she realized the horrible truth of what he was getting at.

_So if it is thrust on him, he might snap and kill himself. Knowing Gohan, he could take the whole planet with him! But then who's to say he won't just do that when he discovers it for himself._

"But Vegeta… I don't get it how do we make him okay with this? I mean we don't even know who it is for certain! On top of that, what if the girl doesn't agree to it? How do we go about keeping Gohan from killing us all in a fit of rage?"

Vegeta sighed heavily through his nose, glaring hard at the ground, his uncertainty coming clear over their bond in waves.

"Quite honestly I don't know Bulma. His human side makes him unpredictable, and I know that I cannot defeat him if he loses control. I wish that we could give him more time, but then I may be worried for nothing in the end. He's a land-mine and with any wrong move on anyone's part, he goes off on them. You remember his fight with Broly, and the destruction the two of them caused? His conscience would not allow him to be satisfied with his actions, no matter how well he did in the situation. I don't think he could live with himself if he did that again, especially if someone he cared about was in the mix."

Bulma allowed a small smile to dance on her lips, realizing just how much her husband really cared for the young demi-saiyan. His thoughts were so confused, and he was so worried about him that he was unintentionally allowing it to show both through their bond, and in his voice as he spoke. She considered the situation for a moment, looking for an answer to the question before them.

Coming to the only conclusion that made sense, she sighed and turned her husband's face to her with a gentle push of her hand.

"Vegeta we have to let him do this on his own. We should watch him, but I also think that we should trust him to figure it out on his own. I don't like to think of what could happen, but I see no other alternative."

He sighed through his nose, furrowing his brow in concentration. He blinked once and turned his eyes towards his wife's once again, his affirmation clear in his black orbs. She gave him a weak smile and leaned in to kiss him briefly. Still unsettled by the information she had just received, she stood, leaving Vegeta on the couch with his thoughts. She breathed deeply, worry still gnawing at her as she considered the situation her godson was in as she made her way to the kitchen for a cup of coffee.

***IN THE KITCHEN***

"I swear, that man! Not a care in the world for others! I can't believe he almost hurt my little girl like that!"

Gohan sighed and poked at his food, not really feeling all too hungry. He and his mother were the only ones up and about already besides Vegeta as Chi Chi had already taken Ria back to her room where she promptly fell asleep next to her twin. Gohan cleared his throat nervously and stared at his mother.

"Mom, it's not all on him you know… I was in there too, and I didn't see her arrive either. Honestly I don't know how she got into the gravity room without tripping the auto-off switch on the door, but if Vegeta hadn't stopped our fight then there would have been a much higher chance that Ria would have gotten hurt."

Guilt flooded him just like it had that morning when Vegeta had been egging him on by telling him he couldn't protect them. His mother hadn't seen what happened, and he wasn't keen to tell her. He knew that the prince was pushing his buttons to make him fight harder, but it had nearly resulted in his little sister receiving a Masenko to the head due to his rage. He normally wouldn't have let the prince's words affect him so, but his mind had been unsteady and clouded recently, and the words struck a stronger chord than normal. He could feel something was coming, like the calm before the storm and it put his mind in a state of unease. Then there was the fact that he was randomly being halted by his senses over the last couple of days for no apparent reason. All he knew was that whatever scent he kept smelling had the capability to completely consume his attention, a trait that he despised.

"Nonsense Gohan! With you in there I know that nothing would have happened, but Vegeta has always been less than sensitive to anyone outside his family."

Gohan made no comment, instead staring hard at his food. Chi Chi knew that there was nothing she could realistically say to get him to feel differently, and decided to change the subject.

"By the way Gohan, I wanted to discuss something with you that Bulma and I decided to arrange."

He returned his gaze to her, confusion blocking out the other thoughts on his mind. Without waiting for a response, his mother smiled and continued.

"I made some calls yesterday, and the gang is getting together next month for the tournament! I actually managed to get everyone involved, though I don't know how many are going to try and compete."

_Oh perfect. Just how did they think that this is a good idea? What if someone recognizes them from the Cell games? Mr. Satan is going to be there, so is Videl! Not to mention it's televised! This is just begging for us to get the unwanted attention we were trying to avoid!_

He turned his hard gaze to his mothers, challenging her to give him a good reason they should carry out such a plan. She sighed and sat down in the chair across from him, crossing her arms in front of her chest and glaring right back at him.

"Gohan don't give me that look. I know exactly what you're thinking in that thick skull of yours, but don't forget that a lot of us have already been tournament fighters! The only ones who are not known are the newcomers; Vegeta, all the kids, you, and the androids. On top of that, Yamcha is a famous baseball player, Chiaotzu is an emperor of his own domain and Tien is his top advisor. Bulma is one of the most famous people in the world! Shoot I'm still the Ox princess! Even Piccolo is known to the public as being a contestant in the twenty third."

She glanced around the kitchen before leaning closer to him and dropping her voice.

"The only ones who really need to hide are the 'gold fighter' versions of you guys, and Bardock. As long as those people don't make an appearance we should be fine."

Gohan considered her words carefully, realizing that he hadn't accounted for what she spoke of. It had been a while since the entire Z-gang had gathered for any reason, and he didn't like the possibility of being in the public eye. But he knew there was another reason entirely for not wanting to get all of the Z-fighters together, no matter how much he wanted to deny it.

_No, you told yourself you would get past it. You have to let him go! They don't hate you for what happened to him, and you've done all you can to make up for it. You have to face them some time or another. _

He sighed and buried his face in his hands, trying to block the world out as he fought with himself. He dragged them down his face before crossing his arms on the table and staring at her seriously.

"I don't suppose that I can just not go?"

Chi Chi reached across the table to grab onto his arm and gave him a motherly look of concern.

"Sweety, you know that I cannot force you to do anything you don't want to do. But I know that everyone else would love for you to be there. I want you to be there, and it's not every day you get the chance to socialize with old friends."

_I hate it when she says she can't tell me what to do, It makes me feel horrible. Oh what's the use, I'm going to have to go._

He sighed and nodded his head, his eyes unfocused as he tried to imagine how that day would go.

"Great! Now the other thing I was wondering… How opposed would you be to competing?"

He started and glared at her incredulously. How would there even be a challenge for him there? What was the point? She blinked a couple times and gave him a nervous smile.

"Well, I'm just saying that the top prize is something like ten million zeni. And on top of that, Bulma is trying to get Vegeta and Trunks into the tournament. Said something about us not being able to compete with them. She said there's a junior division this year so we can enter Goten and Ria, _and _you if you're willing. I wanna wipe that smirk off her face when we win."

Gohan snorted and smirked at his mother.

"Are you positive you aren't a Saiyan, mom? The way you and Bulma go at it, you'd think you had both come from planet Vegeta."

She shrugged and laughed at him, blushing slightly. He closed his eyes, mulling it over in his mind. There were so many things that could go wrong, but if he was there at the ring-side…

"Fine, I'll enter, but I'm not going to go as Gohan. I think Bardock will be good enough for this."

Chi Chi furrowed her brow in confusion, earning a quizzical look from her son.

"Gohan, what about your friends? The three of them don't know. Also the tournament doesn't allow helmets if I remember right, so you'll have to take it off to fight as Bardock."

He sighed, running over the predicament in his head. It was true, his friends from school would certainly figure out if he was Bardock or not if he failed to make an appearance with them in the stands. But then, there was the course of action he had been considering for the last couple weeks as well.

_I could just tell them? They're already a part of this, and I know that they will find out one way or another later if I continue to hang out with them. But will it stop with them? What about Videl? How will she react to finding out? Probably scream at me and shun me. Oh I just don't know! _

He sensed a group of people approaching the kitchen, and gave his mother a significant look saying that they would discuss it later. She nodded and stood, walking towards the door as it opened, revealing Lime and Videl. Both of them were dressed and showered, and gave Chi Chi a bright "good morning" as she passed them on her way back to the Son ward. The two women parted ways, with Videl making her way towards the food machine, and Lime seating herself across from her adopted brother.

"Hey Gohan! Umm… You alright? You haven't eaten all your food… you sick?"

"No, just have a lot on my mind. Mom convinced me to join the tournament this morning."

Her eyes snapped open and she glanced to make sure that Videl wasn't near them.

"As you or as Bardock?"

"I don't know yet. If I go as Bardock then _they _are going to know for sure. If I go as me, then there's a chance the entire world will recognize me."

Lime's face cracked into a smile slowly as he spoke, excited that he was at least considering entrusting them with his secret. He shook his head and gave her a worried grimace.

"I can't make up my mind yet, what if it gets out through them that I'm Bardock? What then?"

"Gohan, stop being so paranoid! I think you can trust these three with it!"

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I can't answer that one! It's up to you to make that decision, I'm just telling you what I think. And I think that they can handle it! Shoot I don't think it'll even surprise them."

"What will surprise who?"

The two startled teens looked towards the raven haired girl as she sat next to Lime, setting down a plate of food and coffee for both of them. She was looking quizzically between the two of them, eager to be in on the conversation. Lime and Gohan shared a glance, neither of them really knowing what to say. Lime started stammering, trying to find something to say, but was cut off by a loud beeping emitting from the raven-haired girls wrist. Her face fell and she glared up at the ceiling as if blaming Dende for her untimely misfortune.

"On Vacation?! Really!"

She composed her face as best she could and held the wrist up and hit the communications button, opening the line to reveal the same blonde dispatcher as always.

"What's up sis?"

"A whole lot of bad news Videl. There's a full on gang war going on in the docks district of the city. We've already mobilized SWAT forces in, but they can't get close enough to neutralize the gang members. We've already got a confirmed three officers down, and your father was caught in the middle of it. We're not sure about his status, but he was last reported to have been assisting the ground forces."

All three of the teens jerked back in surprise, sharing a startled look. Gohan furrowed his brow and stared hard at the table in front of him.

_Hercule what are you doing? You're only human, and by the sounds of it this could get a whole lot worse before it gets better. If you go and get yourself killed…_

"The chief is preparing to call up to higher and get the national army in here to control the situation. As of right now, we're just containing it to that part of the city, and evacuating the fleeing civilians."

At that moment, Bulma strode into the kitchen and caught the last few words of the transmission. Her eyes widened and she looked between the three teens as Videl stood, checking her pockets for her ever-present 'copter capsule.

"Alright sis, call me with new developments, I'm on my way but it might take a while. Let me know if Bardock shows up. I feel like we might need his help with this one."

The room tensed as she killed the transmission, glancing around at the three and momentarily locked eyes with Gohan. His heart skipped a beat in that moment, and he suddenly became nervous, a single bead of sweat running down the back of his neck. Videl broke eye contact and rushed for the door, only to be stopped by Bulma, who was looking at Gohan with a worried expression.

"Videl, I know you're going back to Satan City, but how are you getting there?"

Videl simply pulled her capsule out, holding it up for the bluenette to see. Bulma took the capsule from her outstretched hand, reading the number off the side. She looked from it, back to the girl and smirked. She pulled a capsule box from the lab coat she was wearing for work, and removed a small red capsule from it, handing it and the original yellow one to the raven haired girl.

"Try this one out. It'll cut your travel time down to just a few minutes. It operates just like yours, but is the newest model."

"Thanks Bulma, I'll be back."

Bulma stood to the side and allowed the girl to leave before returning her gaze to her godson. Gohan was simply staring after the short girl, confused by her actions. He once again considered the possibility that she already knew the truth, but again waved away the possibility. He still believed that she would have said something to the media, or at least something to him about it if she knew.

_After all, what could she gain by hiding from me that she knew? If she knew who I was, she could have used that to manipulate me! Dammit this will have to wait 'til later! I can't let her or her father go out and get killed. Stupid humans and their stupid territorial-_

"Go on Gohan, this sounds serious. We'll keep the others off your trail until you make up your mind. Right Bulma?"

He nodded, standing abruptly and leaving out the same door Videl had, passing a confused looking Bulma on his way out without a word. Bulma watched him leave for a moment, then turned to Lime when the door closed.

"What do you mean by until he makes up his mind? What's going on?"

"He's considering telling the others that he's Bardock. Beyond that, I don't know what else he's got planned."

Bulma was shocked to say the least. This development was completely out of character for him. Could he finally, after all this time, be opening up to someone besides Lime and his siblings? She thought back to her previous conversation with Vegeta only a few minutes prior.

_Maybe all of this is going to work out for the better? If he's already considering letting them in on such a sensitive secret, then who's to say that his relationship with… whichever girl it is wont work out for the better. I wonder…_

"Lime. I have to ask you, do you know if there's anything between Gohan and Videl or Erasa?"

Lime blinked at her in surprise, completely caught off guard by the question.

"Well, I don't think you could really call it anything just yet, but Videl's admitted her feelings towards him to me, and I think he subconsciously is developing them for her. I couldn't tell you for certain, he's never had those feelings towards anyone that I can remember."

_So it's Videl then. Well at least I know that she already has some affection towards him, that's one possible failure scratched off. How funny, her father steals his credit and he repays him by taking his child…_

"Why do you ask?"

Bulma shook her head, ridding herself of the amusing thought and smiling slyly at the girl.

"Oh… No reason, just curious."

***ABOVE THE DOCKS DISTRICT – FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER***

Gohan gritted his teeth behind the helmet of his disguise, staring at the destruction below him. He had followed Videl in the modified jet-copter, deciding to let her make her appearance before himself. When they had arrived, Videl had promptly landed the 'copter and joined the police force at the edge of the roadblock looking over the street. Smoke billowed high into the sky from several burning vehicles and buildings, and the crack of gunfire could be heard dancing from building to building as two rival gangs duked it out for ownership of the district. In the distance, Gohan could see the reflection of the flames dancing on the water off the coast.

_Damned fools! How many innocents have gotten caught in the crossfire? This is far worse than I had pictured in my head._

He glanced down towards the gathered police vehicles and felt a sense of relief as he saw Mr. Satan standing tall before his daughter. The girl hugged him briefly before turning to the chief of police with her arms crossed.

_Good, he didn't get himself killed. Now let's keep it that way._

He dropped from the sky, landing with a heavy thud right next to the police chief. He righted himself and crossed his arms, startling the graying man and forcing him to cringe.

"What the-… Bardock! Oh good I'm glad you showed up!"

Gohan nodded his head and looked towards the Satan's. Videl gave him a small smile and nodded her head in acknowledgement while Hercule just stared at him in disbelief. He worked his jaw a couple times before his voice finally came to him.

"Wha-.. Who?... Videl who is this punk?!"

Gohan smirked, holding back a laugh at the look she gave her father. Hercule cringed a little at her glare and scratched his head nervously. He returned his gaze to the demi-saiyan, peering into the helmet to try and see his face as best he could.

"I mean, who are you?"

He looked like he wanted to say a lot more, but held his tongue.

_Oh good, I think he must remember someone else who could fly. This might actually be fun._

"Why Mr. Satan, it's so nice to see you again…"

He let his voice trail off menacingly, and noticed that both his and Videl's faces blanched. Videl seemed to realize something and looked nervously at her father. Gohan narrowed his eyes and watched her through his mask. He had expected that reaction from Hercule, but not from Videl. Dismissing it as her being shocked that her father might know Bardock, he returned his gaze to the man, who was blinking and clearly trying to collect his thoughts.

"Y-yea you too… Umm, when exactly did we meet?"

"We'll have the reunion later sir. Chief, mind giving me a target?"

He turned his head towards the officer, satisfied that he had sufficiently scared the aged fighter. The officer shook his head and motioned towards a paper map stretched across the hood of his cruiser. He pointed towards the outlined dock districts, and indicated several rocks that were planted on major crossroads leading into the area.

"The whole district is in lock-down, we have blockades at all of these locations. Everyone leaving the area has to get by us. The coast guard has already posted a few patrol boats in the bay in case someone tries to leave that way. The only problem is we don't have the manpower to take the gangs down. I was about to call in the National Guard –"

"No need chief. Between myself, Videl and Hercule, this situation can be handled. Just show us where the primary concentration of them is."

"Now hold on a second! You might be tough, but they've got everything from assault rifles to explosives in there! The three of you can't just-"

Videl chose that moment to intervene, growling at the man and crossing her arms.

"Chief, we can handle it! Mr. Super-man here can catch bullets remember?"

The old officer sighed and considered Bardock for a moment, realizing he wouldn't win that battle. Hercule raised an eyebrow at his daughter. That wasn't admiration in her voice was it? The chief pointed towards a row of circled buildings directly down the road from where they were standing. Gohan glanced down the road again in time to see a Molotov fly from a window and crash into a moving car, exploding in a fireball. He felt anger well up in his chest as he felt the ki of the person inside fluctuate wildly and then slowly dissipate as their life was snuffed out. He let out an audible growl and uncrossed his arms. Videl reached out and grabbed onto his arm, halting him in place as he looked down at her. Her face was set into a determined grimace and she nodded towards the burning vehicle.

"Bardock, let us help. Get me and my father in there. I know neither of us can halt bullets, but we can fight."

He felt admiration at her bravery, and realized with a jolt that even Hercule seemed to be agreeing with her, despite the danger.

_So he's not a complete coward. I bet that's partly his daughters influence. Fine, that's what they want. I suppose I can fly them in._

He nodded and held his arms towards the two of them.

"Fine, grab onto my arm and whatever you do, hold on. I'm going to drop you on the rooftops of the buildings."

Videl's face brightened and she gripped onto his outstretched hand with a determined look. Hercule hesitated a moment, glancing nervously at his daughter before reaching out with one hand and firmly grasping Bardock's extended arm. As soon as the two of them were held on sufficiently, he rose into the air, being careful not to jolt them as he floated above the street. Hercule's eyes widened in fear and he paled, but Videl released an excited laugh, watching the ground grow more distant below her.

_She is definitely a fighter. She's loving the adrenaline rush. If she had been trained properly, she could do this herself._

He quickly made his way over the rooftops, closing the distance towards the buildings, using smoke as cover for them as he approached. He easily identified one with roof access, as there were a pair of gang members on the roof firing at a building across the street from them. He flexed his forearms, catching his passengers' attention.

"There. That rooftop. Be prepared to catch yourselves, you'll have to deal with them on your own. I can handle the other side of the street on my own."

Hercule raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't say anything. Videl just nodded and focused her glare on the men below, her pigtails whipping around behind her. Satisfied that they understood, he dropped in altitude towards the building. When they were only a few feet off the roof, he slowed their descent, and the two of them dropped from his grasp. The two of them rolled to absorb the impact of their landing, and stood to attack the gangsters.

With a loud roar, Hercule drove his fist upwards into the man's jaw as he turned to face him, sending him several feet into the air before crashing back down on the edge of the roof, banging his head in the process. Videl used the momentum of her roll to leap into the air and drive her foot into the back of her opponent, sending him skidding into the short brick wall with a sickening crunch. Satisfied that they were out of commission, she gave Bardock a thumbs up and turned to run down the stairs of the roof access hatch.

Her father grabbed onto her arm, startling her. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure that Bardock was already gone, and then glared worriedly at his daughter.

"Videl, I don't think we should trust this guy! He's using the same tricks as the guys who fought Cell! Why are you so ready to follow him into this mess?"

"Because he's done nothing but help me since he made his first appearance dad! I don't care if he does do those 'tricks', whatever he does works. Please don't do anything to piss him off? Trust me, I know him well enough to know that you never want to do that."

_Especially since you took his credit for Cell. For a second there, I thought Gohan was going to take revenge on you for that._

An explosion rang out and the building they were on shook as something detonated from within. Videl widened her stance, retaining her balance and steadying herself. Her father did likewise and leaned against the wall next to the access hatch.

"We're wasting time here dad! Let's go!"

***ACROSS THE STREET***

Gohan wasted no time getting to work on the other gang, which was taking cover in a general store across from the tattoo parlour he had dropped the Satan's off on. Spotting a man who was toting a six barreled grenade launcher, he dove forward, crashing through the window between them and driving his shoulder into the man's hip. The gangster screamed in agony as his pelvis broke, and he fell to the floor writhing in pain, his grenade launcher forgotten to the way-side.

Gohan righted himself and silenced the man's screams with a booted kick to the side of his head. He felt out with his Ki, sensing that there were only a few Gangsters in the immediate vicinity. He felt out the nearest, who was two aisles over, screaming in a language he couldn't immediately identify. Without a second thought, he channeled his energy in front of him in a wedge and pushed himself through the aisles, scattering the contents of the shelves every which way and emerging in front of a very startled man carrying a sub-machine gun.

"WHAT THE FU-"

Gohan dispatched him quickly, hitting him quickly in the face and sternum, staggering the man. He followed up his quick one-two with a spinning back-kick to his stomach, sending him flying clean through the air and crashing into the glass door of a refrigerator unit containing beer. Several of the bottles shattered, spilling their golden liquid over the fallen combatant and mixing with his blood on the floor.

"Cheers mate."

He turned his attention back to the front of the store, where he could see several gangsters gathered behind registers, talking animatedly to each other.

"He's definitely here man! We need to get the hell out of here!"

"What the fuck are you babbling about?"

"It was Bardock! I saw him, I swears it!"

"Bardock?! Oh hell no! Mr. Satan was bad enough, but Bardock? I hear bullets don't affect him! This shit aint worth getting killed over."

"Too late."

The gangsters stiffened visibly and looked around for the source of the dangerously low voice that rung in their heads. The one that had been panicking about the masked super hero turned around and came face to face with his own reflection staring back at him from the mirrored visor of Bardock's helmet.

"Fucking shit!"

Gohan stepped forward, thrusting his head into the face of the ganster, breaking his nose and sending him toppling into one of his comrades. The others let out startled cries and turned their weapons on the super-hero in a vain attempt to halt him as he dispatched them one by one. There was no quarter for the men, and they all fell to the bone-shattering blows of Gohan's attacks. One man managed to get a knife through his defenses, only to have the blade get stuck in his green chest armor and snap off at the hilt.

Gohan glanced down at the knife, berating himself for allowing such a fatal error. He grabbed the blade and pulled, removing it from its place in his armor. The gangster who had attempted to stab him quaked in fear and slowly staggered backwards, glancing between the knife hilt and the horrifying man before him. Gohan held the blade between two fingers in front of him, palm facing the man.

"You got me, congratulations. Not many can claim that feat. But I think this belongs to you."

He flicked his fingers forward, shooting the severed blade through the air and pinning the man's hand to the wooden grip of the knife. The man screamed in agony and clutched his wrist, desperately trying to drop the grip, shaking his hand violently as blood dripped from the wound to the ground.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Gohan closed the short distance in one stride and drove a side kick into the gangster's chest, snapping several of his ribs in the process and collapsing his sternum. He flew backwards, crashing through a window in the front of the general store before rolling to a halt in the middle of the sidewalk. Gohan extended his senses, satisfied that there were no more combatants in the store. He felt Mr. Satan and Videl had reached the ground floor of the tattoo parlour, and judging by the weak ki of the other men in the building, had dispatched most of the enemy combatants there.

He calmly strode outside, looking around for more fighters. The air was thick with smoke from the burning vehicles, the fire crackling brightly.

_That might be a problem. If it's not brought under control soon, then this whole district could go up in smoke._

He glanced around for a solution, and found one in a pair of fire hydrants planted on the sidewalks across the street from each other over near the fire. He began to make his way towards it, his stride confident and quick. Videl and Mr. Satan emerged from their building, prepared to take on more bad guys, but only saw Bardock making his way towards the raging car fires.

"Bardock! You okay?"

He glanced them over, not halting his steps, and gave her a thumbs up.

"Call the chief, get everyone in here to help with this mess, and don't forget to bring in some SWAT for security. I don't know if we got them all."

She returned his gesture and walked a few steps facing up the street to where the police barricade was. She pressed the dial button on her communicator watch and directed it to call the chief's radio. She glanced over her shoulder as a loud metallic clang rang through the air to observe Bardock punch a hole in one of the hydrants, unleashing the flow of water upon the burning cars.

_Holy shit, just like it was hot butter…_

"Videl, are you alright?! Videl!"

She shook her head, returning her eyes to the watch screen and the chief's worried face.

"Yea chief we're all fine. We need a cleanup crew in here ASAP, and send in a couple SWAT teams for security. Bring some body bags too, there's a lot of casualties here, and we both know how efficient Bardock is."

"That Bardock… Every time he gets involved I have to deal with a full inquiry as to why we let him do that."

"Chief, he's the reason things have been going as well as they have for you the last few months, don't let the media get to you. We need his help sometimes, and he does what needs to be done when we can't."

The chief sighed and rubbed his forehead, his expression one of frustration.

"I know what he does for us Videl, but he doesn't have to kill everyone."

"Don't worry about it chief, just send in the cleanup crew please."

Before he could respond, she cut the transmission and turned towards the masked super-hero as he worked. He had twisted the metal of the fire hydrant so that it was spraying over the burning cars, sending smoke flying into the air at an alarming rate and filling the air with the sizzling and crackling of rapidly cooling metal. Satisfied with his work, he righted himself and began striding across the street towards them.

Videl smiled at him, glad to see that everything had worked out so well. Her smile faded as she heard the dull rumble of an engine, muffled by the sound of the burning vehicles. She looked around rapidly and Bardock halted, stiffening as he heard it as well. A motorcycle burst through the smoke between two of the cars bearing two men. One in front hunched low over the controls, and a second standing on pegs in the back with a bandolier of liquor bottles stuffed with cloth. He held two in his hands, the cloth burning and trailing smoke. As the bike approached Bardock, the man threw the bottles one after the other straight at him.

"GOHAN LOOK OUT!"

As soon as the words left her mouth she clamped her hands over it, shocked at her own carelessness. His head snapped in her direction just as the bottles hit him. The first struck him across his legs, shattering and spraying most of the liquid across the ground. The second hit him square in the side of the head, dousing him in the liquor which promptly exploded upwards in a fireball that made Videl cringe and hide her face from the heat. She heard the bike scream past her, the passenger whooping into the air at the accuracy of his attack.

Panic gripped her heart as she returned her glare to the inferno that had consumed her friend.

_Gohan! Oh kami no!_

She wanted to rush into the flames, to pull him out. She made it to the edge of the fire before a firm set of hands grabbed her from behind and pulled her away from the fire.

"Videl no! There's no way he survived that! Don't kill yourself for a lost cause!"

"GOHAN!"

She could feel the tears starting to run from her eyes as she struggled against her father's grasp. She wanted to tear at him, to get to the boy. Her voice was hoarse from the force of her scream. Then she saw him and her heart froze in her chest. Time slowed down to an impossibly slow pace and she felt a fear like no other at what she was witnessing.

He emerged from the inferno, striding forward like he didn't have a care in the world, flames swirling around him and clinging to his suit. In that moment he looked like a spawn of hell, his black body-suit and armor casting him like a shadow against the orange flames that shrouded him. She felt a wind swirl about them and the flames parted, forced aside by the gale that originated from the man. The orange of the flames attached to his body died out quickly to be replaced by a burning white aura that swirled about him. He held a hand outstretched towards the bike speeding away from them, palm out.

"HAAAAAAAAAAA!"

She hid her eyes as the golden flash of light burst forth from his hands, speeding after the motorcycle. She cracked her eyes just enough to see the light impact the back of the disappearing gangsters, exploding in a bright flash. Everything the light touched disintegrated, spraying the street with body parts and fragments of the bike. She felt a pang of revulsion at the gruesome sight, but dropped it to the side as worry gripped her again. She snapped her gaze back to where Bardock had been standing and was startled to find him only a couple feet away from her, staring at her through his visor with his arms crossed. Her heart jumped in her throat and she was suddenly fearful of the boy.

'No shit girl, you just blurted his name out in public twice.'

_Stupid! Stupid-stupid-stupid-stupid! I wasn't even supposed to know that!_

She gently removed her father's hands from her arms and looked him over. She was still worried about him. He had been coated in flames only a few seconds before. She would deal with his anger after she was sure he would be alright.

"Are you okay?"

He didn't say anything for a few seconds, staring her down through his mask. She shifted uneasily, silently cursing the fact that she couldn't see his face.

"Fire proof suit."

His voice was cold and sharp, and she knew she was on extremely thin ice. She contemplated if she should say anything to him, but decided that she should abstain. She could hear her father's heavy breathing right behind her, and begged Kami that he wouldn't say anything either. Bardock looked up the road, watching emergency vehicles drive through the barricades towards them.

"Neither of you will repeat that name again to _anyone_. I am leaving now, when you are finished here, both of you find me on the roof of the CC trade tower downtown."

He returned his gaze to them, and she could feel his eyes burning into her own as she watched him fearfully. When his voice came again, it was low and laced with a dangerous tone. Every word came sharp and emphasized.

"Do _not_ keep me waiting. I will find you if you do."

He turned his head directly towards Hercule for his last statement an she felt her father stiffen and catch his breath in his throat out of fear. Then he was gone with a loud whoosh and a rush of air that whipped her clothes and hair around. Her knees felt weak as she let out the breath she had been holding, and dread clawed at her insides.

"Shit…"

"Videl, what the _hell _was that about?!"

"I may have just killed the both of us…"

She gulped past the lump in her throat and waved down the approaching ambulance, doing her best not to let her fear show in her face as she set about organizing the emergency crews.

***THIRTY MINUTES LATER – TOP OF THE CC TOWER***

Gohan sat with arms and legs crossed, still disguised as Bardock. He furrowed his brow, trying to sort out his thoughts.

_I knew it! She knew somehow. For how long? What else does she know? God dammit this is not how this was supposed to happen! Did she go behind my back? Did Lime tell her?!_

'Don't jump to conclusions, Lime has never betrayed you before. Why would she do it now?'

_This doesn't make sense! If she knows, then who else knows? Is it all for nothing? Hercule already knows who I am, though I don't know if he remembers it._

'How could he forget, his livelihood is built off of your success.'

_We're about to find out how wrong all of this is going to go. I can't believe she found out. I feel so betrayed, and I don't know who to blame for it!_

'You were going to tell her anyways.'

"Dammit!"

His outburst sent out a shockwave, rupturing the camera on the roof that he had disabled earlier. He growled as he watched it fall from the wall, shattering on the floor of the roof.

_This is no time to be losing your temper. Find out the truth, and go from there._

He sighed, closing his eyes and beginning the meditation technique that Piccolo had taught him, floating several feet off the ground. He calmed his mind, preparing himself for the arrival of the two Satans. It didn't take long before he could hear the sound of Videl's jet copter approaching. It rose to a loud roar and he felt the push of the rotor-wash as she landed. He extended his senses just a little to make sure nobody else was near, and confirmed that Hercule was with her.

_Well... time for the reunion Hercule..._

The engines cut out and the doors to the copter opened and closed with a loud snap. He inhaled deeply, listening to the two sets of footsteps approaching.

"G-Gohan?..."

He held up his hand, forestalling any further comment. He released the flow of energy holding him in the air and righted himself, standing on his own two feet again. He turned towards the two of them and opened his eyes. Mr. Satan was wearing a confused grimace and was eyeing him quizzically. He obviously was unclear as to what had happened earlier, and kept glancing at his daughter. He felt a pang of guilt at her expression, realizing how harsh he had been earlier when his adrenaline had been flowing. He clenched his jaw shut and held his hands up to press the buttons on his watch through the fabric of the glove on his left hand.

Cool air rushed to his skin and his hearing suddenly became un-muffled as the disguise disappeared. The scent of sweat and smoke assaulted his nostrils, mixed with the smoggy air of the city. A light breeze whipped through the fabric of his navy gi, and he opened his eyes to glare at his short friend. Now was the time to get answers. She stared back, her eyes full of apprehension. He crossed his arms, considering what to say. Behind her, Hercule's eyes snapped open in recognition.

"Hey, wait it's you! That guy from Videl's high school! _You're _Bardock?"

"Not now dad!"

She snapped at him over her shoulder, her expression still contorted in fear. She slowly returned her gaze to the tall demi-saiyan.

"Gohan, I'm sor-"

"How long have you known?"

Her breath caught in her throat at his tone. He watched her carefully, looking for any signs of deceit. She took a deep breath and looked him dead in the eye.

"For a couple weeks now. The same day that I met Krillin and 18."

"How? How did you figure it out? Who told you?"

_If Krillin is to blame for this…_

He watched her expression carefully for signs that she was lying. To his relief, she never tore her gaze from his own, and though the fear was constantly present, her eyes were set and determined.

"Nobody Gohan, I found out on my own. Your friends didn't give me anything, I just found out through subtle hints."

_Hints? What hints? There was nothing for her to use. Unless…_

"How much do you know? What have you figured out?"

He gave her a moment to compose herself, watching her struggle to find the words. He felt his shoulders tense nervously, and prepared himself for the worst. She let out a ragged breath and began.

"I didn't immediately figure out you were Bardock. I pieced together connections between the gold fighter and Bardock, and then the Gold Fighter and the fighters from the Cell games. I already knew that my father hadn't killed Cell…"

She glanced over at her father, who was beginning to piece together what she was getting at and stared at Gohan in disbelief.

_Oh damn she's clever. She figured it all out through the Cell games._

"I realized that the gold fighter had to be the delivery boy grown up, and then he must have gone into disguise as Bardock to keep his… Your identity secret."

She hesitated here, obviously afraid to say the next part.

"And then I figured out through getting to know you that your father must have passed around the time of the Cell games, and I put the pieces together. I know that Cell killed him, and I know how much you were affected by it. I didn't want to bring any of this up, I was just so anxious to get to know you, and-"

He held up a hand, halting her. He wrestled with his emotions. He wasn't mad at her, in fact he was amazed she had figured him out with such little information. He ran it over in his head, comparing her story to what he remembered about her behavior over the last few months. It all fit, and he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do about it. He wanted to be angry at her, to tell her off for playing detective on him. But he couldn't, her motive wasn't malicious, and she had consistently shown a genuine concern for him. He remained wary of the girl however, and decided to continue his line of questioning.

"How many people know? Do Sharpener and Erasa? Has anyone besides you discovered any of this?"

She shook her head, her pale expression downcast. He felt a huge weight lift off of his chest, and he dropped his gaze to the ground between them.

"Are you mad?"

He returned his eyes to her. She wasn't looking at him, instead watching her hand as she played with the fabric of her glove nervously. He remained quiet for a moment, considering her question.

_Am I mad at her? Look at her, she's so scared I'm going to kill her. Her father looks like he's seen a ghost too._

"No. I'm a little upset you didn't come to me sooner to let me know. But I'm not angry at you."

She lifted her gaze to meet his, and a smile slowly spread across her lips. He kept his face neutral, but allowed his glare to soften.

"I don't believe it, you can't be that kid! He was dying when those fakes took him away-"

"Dad! Are you out of your mind!"

She rounded on him, her eyes regaining the fiery glare that she had worn so often around him. Gohan glared at him, willing himself not to smack the man around.

"Fakes huh? You still believe that those were tricks? Well how about this Hercule, maybe you'll remember better."

Videl's eyes widened and she backed away from her father, staring wide eyed at her friend. He pulled the blue top of his gi down around his waist and quickly removed the red shirt, dropping it with a weighted thunk at his feet, kicking up dust. He pointed with his right hand at his shoulder, displaying the scar for him to see.

"You remember how I got this? While you were hiding behind a rock pretending to have a stomach ache? You remember my father, your predecessor as world champion, saving your life by taking Cell away when he tried to destroy the planet? DOES ANY OF THIS RING A BELL TO YOU 'CHAMP'?"

He fought to control his rage, his jaw clenched and his fists balled tight. He felt his shoulder pop uncomfortably as his muscles tensed, and rage flushed through him. Videl watched him with wide eyes, realizing what she was witnessing. His eyes flashed white and a vein pulsed in his forehead. Gold streaks shot up his hair and wind whipped around them all. A golden aura burst up around him and his eyes flashed to a teal color. He completed his transformation, breathing heavily as he stared down the man before him. When his voice came again, it was quiet, but he knew that the man would hear every word.

"Do you recognize me now Hercule? Do you remember how I killed Cell?"

The man lost control of his legs, and he collapsed backwards onto his rear, his face as pale as the clouds in the sky. He nodded dumbly, and began stammering out apologies in an incoherent babble. He struggled with his words for a moment before a dumb smile took over, and his eyes rolled backwards into a faint. Gohan took a deep breath and closed his eyes, regaining control of himself slowly and returning to normal.

"Pathetic."

He returned his gi top to its place on his torso, not bothering to don the red shirt. He turned to the Videl, who was staring openly at him in awe and terror. He sighed heavily and gave her a weak smile, trying to put her more at ease. Some of the color returned to her face, and she regained some of her wits.

"I'm sorry Gohan, for all of this… This isn't how I wanted it to happen. I would have rather you told me yourself when you were ready."

"Videl, it's alright. To be honest, I was planning on telling you three I was Bardock later today. I wasn't planning on you finding out about everything else, but it seems it was unavoidable... Don't tell anyone else? I would rather do it on my own terms if you don't mind."

He tried not to sound too harsh, but knew his plea came out as more of a demand. She took it well though, and nodded her head in consent. She concentrated again, avoiding his eyes as she appeared to struggle with what was on her mind.

"Gohan, it might not be the most opportune time, but there's something I've been wanting to ask you since I found out who you were."

She glanced at him, looking for a sign that she was okay to continue. He narrowed his eyes, cocking his head to the side slightly, but gestured for her to continue with a wave of his hand.

"Well, I wanted to know if you could train me."

He watched her expression, considering her request. He had said to himself multiple times that she could be a fantastic fighter, probably as strong as Krillin one day if she applied herself. She was a generally good person, and her interest seemed genuine.

"Perhaps. I can't promise you anything right now, let me think about it."

Her face lit up, excited that he would consider it. She had half expected him to deny her outright. He smirked, thinking to himself that she looked like a kid who discovered Christmas had come early. He glanced over to where Hercule was lying unconscious, and nearly burst out in laughter when he realized that he had pissed himself out of fear. Videl glanced over and grimaced when she realized what he had done.

"Videl, I think you should fly to Bulma's on your own for now. I'll carry the giant baby back with me. I want to keep an eye on him for a couple days."

She nodded and mounted her jet-copter, starting up the engines and lifting off. Gohan strode over to the man, changing back into his Bardock disguise, and threw him over his shoulder, making sure to avoid the wet parts of his gi.

_That could have gone a lot worse. I thought for sure that I was going to lose it on her there. Why is it that I'm so able to accept this?_

He sighed and settled the large man into a comfortable spot before shoving his ki downwards and launching off the top of the building, headed back towards his Godmother's home.

**A/N: So who saw that one coming? Again, long chapter, but i'm just getting this ball rolling! There's a lot more to come, and the next chapter is already being written! You guys have fun, and don't forget to review! It gives me ideas =)**

**Oh also, just wanted to make a note here... With Saiyan bonding, I noticed that a lot of people choose to go with the 'hear your mates thoughts whenever you feel like' type bond. The one I added in this story is more along the lines of 'you can feel the other's emotions and passions if they are potent enough'... Hope that doesn't bug any of you guys!**


	17. The Beginning

**Hey guys, I return with another chapter! I'm afraid that this chapter didn't turn out the way I wanted the first time, and I decided to re-write it. Then my computer blue-screened me and I lost it, so here's take 3! Hopefully it gets recieved well =).**

**Anywhoo I'm super happy that the last chapter got so many good reviews. I halfway expected people to shoot down my idea of the reveal, but I'm glad to have been wrong. Keep the reviews coming, R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 17: The Beginning  
**

***CAPSULE CORP GROUNDS***

Lime paced the grassy field outside the gravity room restlessly. Worry gnawed at her heart and she glanced skywards every few seconds looking for her friends. The others had gotten up already and were relaxing in the rec-room, but Lime couldn't find it in herself to just sit back and wait. As soon as Gohan had left, she began to get a feeling of dread. Somehow she knew that something bad was going to happen. Her checking the news stations on the television didn't help her as she saw the burning docks district of Satan City as a helicopter flew over.

_I know that they can take care of themselves easy enough, but that looked so bad. Videl could get hurt, or her father could get hurt. Hell Gohan could get hurt if he's not careful! And then there's that damned brain of his, with his stupid temper and his stupid self-hatred! Come on guys, get back here safe!_

Her plea was answered as the distant roar of jet engines echoed through the grounds. She halted her pacing and turned her gaze skyward, shielding her eyes from the sun. There, far off in the distance and approaching fast was the red jet-copter that Videl had borrowed from Bulma. Apprehension built within her as it closed the distance and she tried to peer into the cockpit. She felt her stomach plummet when she could finally make out the pale and strained expression on Videl's face.

_Kami, what happened? She looks horrible!_

She rushed to the door of the cockpit and pulled it open. Videl just sat there, looking at her hands on the control stick of the 'copter. Lime ran her eyes over the girl quickly, searching for any sign of injury. Her shirt was ruffled a bit and slightly stained black from smoke, but there were no obvious wounds. She gripped her shoulder and shook the shell-shocked girl, snapping her out of her deep thought.

"Videl! Videl what's wrong? What happened? Nobody got hurt did they? Your father, he's not…"

Videl shook her head lightly and closed her eyes. She reached over and flipped the switch to the engines, killing them and gently pushing Lime aside so that she could dismount. She stepped off the copter shakily, her legs barely supporting her. Lime grabbed onto her shoulders and forced the girl to sit on the edge of the cockpit door-frame, crouching before her and staring into her eyes.

"Lime, I'm okay, just a little shaken."

"Shaken? Videl you're in a state of shock."

The raven haired girl let out a weak chuckle and gave her a nervous smile. Her smile slowly faded as they locked eyes, and Videl sighed heavily.

"I knew about Gohan, and now he's aware of it."

Lime couldn't contain her astonishment. She knew her jaw had just dropped and her eyes shot open wide as she searched the girl for any chance of deceit. But no, her current state was all too real. She had to know.

_No wonder she's so out of it! Shit, Gohan what did you do?!_

Before she knew what she was supposed to do, tears were welling up in those cerulean eyes as the girls shock began to wear off and her pent-up emotions came flooding forth.

"I've known since we met Krillin, I j-just didn't want to seem like I was snooping! I thought he had g-gotten himself killed and I screamed his name during the fight, while he was still Bardock, and I-… Kami I've n-never been so scared in my life, I thought for sure he was going to kill me and my father!"

Lime blanched, knowing the seriousness of what had transpired. Her dread dug into her stomach stronger than before and a list of horrible scenarios ran through her mind as she tried to imagine his reaction. Fearing the worst, she gripped the girl's shoulders and looked her in the eyes as a pair of tears fell from them.

"Videl, what did he do? Where is he? He didn't-"

"No! No he didn't do anything, just told me and father to meet him after the place was cleaned up. I thought he was going to explode, but he just questioned us."

She regained some of her color and took a shaky breath to calm herself. She wiped away the tears from her eyes with the back of one of her hands and let out a strangled laugh, catching Lime off-guard.

"I'm alright Lime, I fared better than my old man. He literally lost control of his bladder when Gohan transformed in front of us."

"Wait you saw him transform?"

She glanced over her shoulder towards the Capsule Corp building, making sure they were still alone. Videl grabbed her arm gently and pushed herself up to standing, bringing Lime with her. She gave her friend a small smile, clearing her throat and wiping her face of tears.

"Yea, I knew about that too though. Sorta. I knew that the gold fighter was Bardock."

Lime felt a dozen questions burst into her mind, wondering just how Videl had learned of Gohan's abilities and how much of his past she knew. But in the end, she reasoned that getting interrogated once, especially by an upset Gohan, was more than enough for one day. She resigned herself to silently watch the girl as she capsulized the jet-copter and looked skywards.

"He should be here shortly. He was carrying my father and-"

She was interrupted by a quiet whooshing sound as the subject of their discussion descended from a low flight, still disguised and carrying a damp Hercule. Videl raised one eyebrow in question as he straightened himself, hefting the larger man higher on his shoulder and striding towards them. He glanced over at his passenger, and Lime could just imagine the smirk through his helmet.

"He needed a bath."

Lime pinched the bridge of her nose, not liking the sound of that simple statement.

"Do I even want to know?"

"Drive-through car wash. He's still unconscious, but he smells better now."

She closed the distance between them, doing her best to control her temper as her frustration flared. Between scaring the life out of his friend and then his shenanigans towards the aged fighter, she thought he was being very immature. She poked him firmly in the chest, instantly regretting the action as her finger jolted with pain. She didn't let her discomfort show however, and continued to glare up at him.

"_We_ are going to have a talk later buster."

"Fine, but later. Let's get this oaf to the medical ward first so that someone can keep an eye on him."

Without waiting for a response he strode past his adopted sister and Videl towards the family dome and the medical area. Lime followed him with her glare before wrapping an arm around Videl's shoulder and leading her after the tall teen.

They strode through the building, passing the rec-room on their way into the medical wing. There was an excited squeal from somewhere behind them, and Lime turned to see Erasa and Sharpener jogging to catch up with them. As they neared, they realized what they were seeing and their expressions reflected their shock.

"Videl!"

"Mr. Satan!"

Sharpener rushed forwards to match Gohan's stride, looking closely at his hero draped over Bardock's shoulder. Erasa fell in next to her best friend, grabbing her shoulder with a worried expression.

"Videl, what's going on? Lime said you ran off to do some baddy-smashing and that your pops was involved! And is that…? Whoa Bardock!"

"Hey you, what did you do to the champ?"

Videl was about to give the blonde a stern command to shut his trap, but Gohan waved off the question with a grunt muffled behind his helmet.

"Scared the piss out of him. Literally, if it pleases you."

Sharpener halted, staring after the tall super-hero with a look of utter disbelief. Videl rolled her eyes and grabbed him by the front of his shirt as they passed him, dragging him along. They found themselves being led into the medical area of the Son ward, where the masked super-hero unceremoniously dropped the world champion on one of the beds there before turning his back and shutting the door behind the group. Sharpener immediately rushed to his hero's side, straightening him out on the bed with some reluctant assistance from Videl. Lime parted from the rest of the group and halted her adopted brother as he returned from the doorway.

"What are you doing?"

"This."

He gently nudged her to the side and firmly grasped Sharpener and Erasa by the shoulders, dragging them across the room and firmly seating them on a bench across from the champ's bed. They protested to being man-handled but quickly silenced themselves when he spoke. Behind his back, Lime walked over to place a reassuring hand on Videl's shoulder, watching her brother closely.

"Both of you, shut up and listen. You're about to learn something that is beyond sensitive in nature. I need to hear it from both of you right now that you won't disclose anything you're about to see."

He spoke quickly and firmly, making sure that the seriousness of the situation was easily understood. Erasa clenched her hands together in front of her chest, fearfully glancing between the tall super-hero and her best friend, who was staring at his back with a neutral expression. Sharpener looked to her as well, outrage evident on his face.

"Hey Videl, a little help here? Who does this guy think he is to treat us like this?"

She didn't come to his aid however, instead choosing to stare at the pattern on the sheets. Lime rolled her eyes and muttered out something along the lines of "dumb jocks".

"If you will shut up and agree with my terms, you'll find out."

He furrowed his brow and glared at the tall man, trying to see through the mask to his face. Still unsure what to think, he glanced over to his blonde friend, who was nodding slowly in agreement. Her look of awe and apprehension swayed his mind, and he sighed, gesturing with a wave that he agreed. A deep intake of breath could be heard from the man in front of them, and then he seemed to deflate slightly. His shoulder muscles relaxed and his arms unfolded from the front of his chest. He placed his right hand over his left wrist and fumbled with the fabric of his glove for a moment. Both the blondes held their breath in anticipation, and in a flash of light Bardock disappeared.

Gohan crossed his arms again, looking at sharpener with his ever-present glare. The two blondes blinked a few times, trying to register exactly who it was they were looking at. Sharpener could only stare at his tall friend as realization washed over him. He paled ever so slightly when he realized how he had been speaking to him only moments before. Erasa on the other hand regained her wits and a huge smile lit up her face. She bounced her feet on the ground a couple times excitedly before jumping up and hugging her tall friend with a squeal.

"Oh-this-is-too-cool-you're-Bardock-and-you've-been-helping-Videl-fight-crime-and-"

She gasped and her eyes widened as she looked from Gohan's startled face to Videl's downcast one.

"You knew it was him! I knew you were hiding something from me!"

She pouted slightly, but before anyone could really comprehend what was happening her face lit up again and she was hugging Gohan with a delighted giggle. He raised an eyebrow in confusion, looking between Lime and Videl for signs of what he should do. The two young women were just as baffled at their bubbly friend's behavior and shrugged.

_Women. I don't get it. I can comprehend some of the most complicated technologies in Bulma's labs but I can't figure out women. _

***A COUPLE HOURS LATER – SON MEDICAL WARD***

"So let me get this straight. Videl knew he was Bardock, the Gold Fighter, and the Delivery boy? And he _didn't_ do anything drastic when he discovered she had found out without his consent?"

Bulma raised her eyebrows in surprise as she repeated what her best friend had just told her. Across the room from them, Vegeta was glaring at the man cowering in the chair next to where he was leaned up against the wall. Hercule Satan had recovered from his faint to find himself in the company of the three adults deep in conversation about the events that had happened earlier. Chi Chi spared him a quick glance and a smirk before returning her eyes to the CC heiress.

"Well, he didn't kill anyone at least. Though he did mention that he came close to kicking Hercule here off the top of your tower in Satan City."

Vegeta snorted, a satisfied smirk appearing on his face as he watched the world champ. Bulma looked towards her husband, still lost in thought about her godson.

_This is very bizarre. He's always been so touchy when it came to his past because of Goku. Just from past experience I would have expected him to be furious, and a furious Gohan results in big explosions and dead people. Instead he was calm, almost seemed to be glad that his secret was out. Maybe it's Videl changing him?... Better keep an eye on him._

"The brat should have gone through with it just to seal off this loose end in my opinion. We all know how this fool goes about with the media."

The champ blanched and shook his head violently at his words, nearly making Bulma burst out into laughter.

"Please no! I swear I won't say anything! Look I've kept your secret for all these years, except for to my daughter! I remember you from the Cell games, I know you were there but I haven't said anything!"

Vegeta grunted, his smirk disappearing as the realization hit him. It was true, Hercule had been keeping the truth from the public for years, even though it had resulted in his current wealth and fame. However there was no motive for him to want to keep Gohan's identity secret when it came to Bardock.

"Don't forget you over-grown baboon, we know what would happen if it ever got out that you weren't actually the world savior. _If _you let slip the true identity of Bardock, then a very pissed off Gohan is going to be the least of your worries. In fact I may plant the idea for him to come clean to the world about Cell and then throw you to the wolves when they come for you."

It was a hollow threat really. He knew what sort of affect revealing such a life-changing piece of information could do to the world, and though he despised most humans, Earth was his home now. But the threat had the desired effect, and the big man just gulped and nodded his head in fear. Bulma nodded, amused that her husband was enjoying himself so much torturing the guy.

"Good. Now Chi, you said that Gohan was taking them all through the basic information?"

The Son matriarch sighed and nodded, her face grim.

"The twins and Trunks are with them. Lime said that since Videl had already figured out so much, Gohan had decided to fill the other two in with just as much information. He's not planning on revealing his heritage or any of the fights before Cell. More of a Q and A type thing I think, with Lime, Trunks, and the twins there to help him."

"Well… I just hope that Goku doesn't get dragged into the discussion, I don't think he's quite ready for that. It makes me happy that he's finally making some friends though."

Chi Chi smiled brightly, and threw a suggestive glance at the world champ.

"I think sending him to high school was a good idea! He might even find himself a woman to marry in Erasa or Videl!"

His face flushed in unspoken outrage and she could practically hear his brain steaming at the thought of her Gohan stealing Videl from the champ. She applauded herself in her mind, glad that she was able to mess with the man's head.

***SON WARD LIVING AREA***

"So, now you all know. Did I miss anything?"

He glanced over at Lime and forced himself to relax. Yea he had agreed that the three teens with them were close enough to be in on his past, but it was still difficult to talk about. She gave him a reassuring smile and shook her head. He gazed around at his friends and family. The two blondes stared at him in disbelief. The bomb that had just been dropped on them completely changed their perspective of the world. Sharpener recovered first, finding his voice.

"You? You killed Cell? _You _are the delivery boy? And _you_ killed Cell, not Mr. Satan? How can we be sure?"

"I can vouch for that one, dad admitted it to me openly a couple years ago. That's why I started fighting crime in the City."

The group all looked surprised at the raven haired crime fighter. Gohan nodded his head, his stare blanking out as he pieced that part of Videl's life together.

_Ah, so that was her motive. How honorable of her, taking on the scum of the city to pay back for her father's lie. I can only imagine how _that_ conversation went._

"Okay fine let's say Hercule didn't kill Cell. How can Gohan be the delivery boy? He was blonde…"

The tall demi quirked an eyebrow at him and calmly transformed without as much as a grunt. There was a quick burst of wind and then it grew calm again. The two blondes eyes snapped wide and he heard a sharp intake of breath from Videl.

_Oh yea, the last time she saw me like this I was about ready to take Hercule to hell and back. I'm going to have to apologize to her at some point for that._

He started when he realized that Erasa was standing next to him, gently tugging on his hair with a perplexed expression. He winced but didn't move, allowing her to look closely before transforming back to normal and reverting his hair and eyes back to black. She let out a small "eep" and jerked back at the change.

"Whoa that's cool! I mean, it's not like it was dyed, your hair _actually_ seemed to glow from each strand! It was like glow-sticks or something!"

He cocked an eyebrow and gave her a sideways glance while Lime giggled. Sharpener continued to stare at Gohan, letting it all sink in. Erasa sat back down next to her best friend and leaned forward to rest her arms on her knees, her face full of excitement.

"So those lights and stuff we saw? What are those?"

He ran a hand through his hair, wondering how best to explain what ki was. Deciding it wouldn't hurt to show them, he held a hand out in front of him and pushed a tiny amount of energy into it, creating an egg-sized ball of ki that glowed gold with warm energy. Erasa's face glowed with it as she leaned forward to peer into the ball of light. Videl stood and walked around her friend to inspect it for herself, and Sharpener looked at it with his head tilted to the side. Videl slowly raised a hand to eye level and, after casting a nervous glance at the tall teen, reached out to gingerly poke it. Gohan allowed a smile to dance on his lips as her finger made contact and her face lit up with excitement.

"That's what we call ki, and what your father calls 'light tricks'. The easiest way to explain it is that it is literally the life-energy within all of us. There are very few who can access it willingly, and even less who can control it."

"Whoa… Cool…"

"It's… Well it's warm, but not… It's different than the ones i've seen you use. The one you stuck in my face at the hospital that first time felt hot, and almost angry."

Gohan ceased the flow of energy and the ball of light dissipated, leaving a slightly disappointed group of teenagers looking at where it had just been. He dropped his hand and stared seriously at Videl.

"The ki blasts you've seen me make, including the one that I almost hit you with when you first met Bardock, were no different than what you were just touching. They were just much more powerful. Like I said, controlling that much energy takes practice, and there aren't many who could do it."

Sharpener furrowed his brow and cleared his throat, looking at Gohan quizzically.

"So then that means that you need to be strong to control this ki stuff right? I mean I've heard stories of you doing things like throwing cars! "

"Well not necessarily, but it's a good idea to be physically strong. One way to get stronger is by ki manipulation, which is basically what my gold-fighter form, as you call it, is used for. You fill your muscles with extra energy and it reinforces them."

_I don't think they're quite ready to learn that I'm only half human just yet. If they can accept all of this then maybe some other time. But I don't want them to reject me for being an alien._

He looked between the three, gauging their reactions. Sharpener still looked skeptical but held his tongue. He decided to instead stare off into nothingness as he gathered his thoughts. Erasa just sat there beaming at him, her excitement and adoration of him bubbling over. Videl glanced over to the three children who were sitting on the floor patiently watching the teens talk. A thought seemed to occur to her and she returned her gaze to Gohan's.

"Hey Gohan, you said that there aren't many people who can control their ki. What about Goten and Ria?"

Before the tall teen could even respond the twins hopped up excitedly and started babbling at the raven haired girl.

"Yea I can do it!"

"Me too! But I'm stronger!"

"No you're not! You're just a boy it doesn't mean you're stronger!"

"Yea huh!"

"Nuh uh!"

"I'm even stronger than Gohan was at our age! He told me!"

Trunks chose that moment to pipe up and add his voice to the mix. Lime face palmed and Gohan rolled his eyes, glaring at Videl as if to say "Now look what you've done". She smiled apologetically and watched the three children argue.

"I'm stronger than both of you and you know it!"

"No you're not Trunks!"

"Yea, and besides we have Gohan to help us!"

"You wouldn't need Gohan if you were better than me!"

"Oh yea well-…"

"_And_ I can fly! You two still can't!"

The twins halted their argument and glared at their lavender-haired friend's smug expression. Lime snorted and the three other teens watched the exchange closely. Erasa and Sharpener seemed to still be having difficulty wrapping their minds around all of the new information. Videl considered the twins' situation and an idea popped into her head that would help them all. She glanced over at Gohan as he rose to leave.

"I think that's enough information for one day. I'm starving! I haven't eaten yet."

The three small children emerged from their argument with a cheer, excited at the prospect of food. They ran out the door in the direction of the kitchen with Gohan walking slowly behind them. Videl took the opportunity to give chase, catching up to him and sending Lime a significant look that said "Hold them up?". Lime nodded subtly and turned to the blondes.

"Hey guys, hang on a sec. I wanted to talk to you about something."

As they rounded the corner, Gohan gave her a quizzical look.

"Sorry, I just didn't want Erasa or Sharpener to hear any of this. I just wanted to know if you had considered what we talked about earlier? About training?"

He furrowed his brow and locked his gaze to the front, considering her request yet again.

"Well, I had another idea too. Trunks said that the twins couldn't fly, so why don't you train all of us? Of course I was hoping for a more comprehensive training but-"

"Videl you know that it won't be easy right? What you're asking for was one of the most difficult things for me to learn. My first mentor eventually wound up throwing me at a cliff to get me to control my ki."

Her eyebrows shot up into her hair and her mouth hung open in surprise. She felt a pang of fear at the prospect of getting thrown at, or off of, a cliff. He glanced over at her and smirked at her reaction.

"Don't worry I don't think that's the most effective way to train someone who is our age and already skilled in martial arts."

She pouted and glared at him.

"Jerk… Wait does that mean you're agreeing?"

"Well if I'm such a jerk then maybe not…"

She shook her head and started stammering out apologies about how he wasn't really a jerk and she was just kidding. He smirked and rolled his eyes, nudging her with his elbow.

"It's fine short stop. I'll figure out a training routine for you, since I can't babysit you on a daily basis. We'll talk about it tonight after dinner if you'd like."

Her face lit up in a bright smile and she nodded her agreement. They walked in silence for a short while until Gohan felt his guilt get the better of him and he dropped his gaze.

"I have been a jerk though."

"How so?"

He paused a moment, refusing to make eye contact with her as they walked. He could feel her eyes on him, boring into the side of his head.

"For the way that I acted when you blurted out my name when I was on fire. I know that I was being too harsh on you. I know that you were genuinely worried about me, and I should have just told you all of this earlier. I automatically thought the worst when it happened, thinking that you and your father would reveal it to the world. I'm sorry if I frightened you, I just had to know how and why."

The silence dragged on as they walked, the clicking of their shoes on the tile floors the only sound in the long hall. Finally, Videl broke the silence with a ragged breath, and he could practically feel the tension flowing from her.

"It was horrifying seeing you that way today. I've met some really bad people, but none of them have ever been able to scare me the way you did, and you're the good guy. I wasn't sure if I was going to live past that rooftop when you told us to meet you there."

He gulped past the lump forming in his throat and chanced a quick glance at his friend.

_Friend... Yea. She is my friend. One of the few I have that are really my friends, and I turned around and did that to her. Damn what have I turned into if I'm suddenly scarier than the bad-guys i'm sworn to defend against?_

"But I know why you did what you did Gohan, and I could never hold it against you, no matter how harsh. Just remember that I don't think of you any different that I did yesterday."

The words sounded sweet to his ears, and he accepted her statement. But it did nothing to release the tension on his heart. He knew that he would need to make it up to the girl in some way to regain the honor that he felt he had lost. He chanced another look at her and was surprised to see she had a distant look in her eyes and a small smirk on her face.

"And remind me to never be on the receiving end of your interrogations if I ever slip up again."

They locked eyes a moment, and he couldn't help but let a smile form on his lips. He knew that it was a hollow smile, but was in a state of mind that would not allow him to put any real amount of emotion behind it. He broke the eye contact, staring ahead as they passed through the entryway to the rec-room. A silence settled between the two, each lost in their own thoughts. They crossed the room, approaching the doors to the kitchen. Before they reached it, he glanced behind them to see the blondes and Lime emerge from the Son ward access door. He nudged her and indicated towards them with his head.

"Why didn't you want the other two to know about the training?"

"Well honestly I would rather they didn't know I was going to learn this stuff. Not yet anyways, I was thinking about using it at the tournament. On top of that, Sharpener get's jealous easily. He thinks that if I can do it, so can he. So unless you'd rather have him under your wing too..."

Gohan smirked and rolled his eyes.

_I don't think I could teach that meat-head how to find his ki if my life depended on it._

"Not a chance."

***THAT NIGHT - LIME'S ROOM***

_**Knock! knock!**_

_"_Hang on a sec."

Lime quickly pulled on a pair of pajama pants and a baggy t-shirt and walked towards the door, tossing her wavy hair over her shoulder to flow down her back. She cracked it to find Gohan on the other side of the door wearing a confused expression and a concentrated frown. She pulled the door the rest of the way open and stood aside so that he could enter. He silently strode over to her bed and sat down on the foot of it, clasping his hands together and resting his elbows on his knees.

_Yup, something's definitely eating at him. I wonder if it has to do with whatever he and Videl were talking about? I didn't get a word out of him at dinner. Videl either._

She shut the door and strode to the desk across from the bed, pulling out the chair and sitting in it, knee-to-knee with the demi. She waited for him to say something, but silently knew that she would have to start this conversation. She crossed her arms and looked him in the face, though he didn't return her gaze.

"You had me worried today when you left. I had a gut feeling something big was going to happen, and I couldn't have been more right."

Again he just sat there, staring at nothing in particular. She wasn't even sure if he was listening to her. She took a deep breath and continued, dropping the question that had been itching at her all day while trying to refrain from making it sound accusing.

"What did you do when you found out?"

This time her words were definitely heeded, and she almost felt bad for asking the question when his hurt filled eyes found hers. She watched his eyes twitch back and forth between hers, and his jaw muscles quivered with tension. She held the gaze, inwardly begging him to tell her what was bothering him so much.

"I treated her like I would a criminal. Made demands of her and threatened her if she didn't comply. I became the villain to get what I wanted from her."

The last sentence rang through her head a couple times before it clicked.

"Gohan-"

"You wanna know the worst part Lime? When I spoke to her about it, she said that she feared me more in that moment than any opponent she had ever fought. Yet she also said she doesn't think any less of me for what I did. That she still wants to be friends, after all I've done to her."

"That's not a bad thing Gohan! She's forgiven you for it."

An uneasy silence settled between the two of them. Gohan's expression remained distressed, and his eyes continued to search hers.

"How do you do it Lime? How do you find it in yourself to care for me, knowing how bad I am? Ever since Cell I've been so full of anger and hate, but you never walked away. And now the others, especially Videl, are always trying to spend time with me. Why do you care about me?"

The questions sent her heart pounding in her chest. The depth of his self-loathing again showing itself to her through his eyes and the soft tone of his voice. The answer was an obvious one to her. Articulating it into words was difficult however, and it took her a few seconds to consider his question. He continued to gaze at her, nervously wringing his hands.

"Gohan, You're not a bad person. You've been through a lot in your short life and you are still, in my eyes, the best person in the world. You're not perfect by any means, but you wouldn't be the Gohan I love if you were."

The tall demi-saiyan averted his eyes from hers, choosing to stare at his hands. She gently reached over and slipped her small delicate fingers into his rough ones. He gently returned the affectionate squeeze of her hand, and she smiled at him, hoping against all odds that her words would finally help him heal.

"And I do love you Gohan... Do you remember when I gave you that ring?"

She pointed to the object in question hanging around his neck. He reached up and gripped it in his free hand, feeling the smooth surface of the petrified grass against his calloused hands. He blinked a couple times, his eyes taking on a distant stare and a small smile danced on his lips.

**_...She paused and held it up for Gohan to see. It was a simple ring, too small to have fit on anyone's finger, but it was beautiful. The different colors of the grass blended together to make it multi-colored._**

**_"Gohan I know what you're feeling. I lost both of my parents when cell attacked and I remember what it felt like. But you're the closest friend I have, and you're like a brother to me. Just know that I don't care what it's about, that you can always come talk to me alright?"_**

**_She pressed the ring of grass into his palm, wrapping his hand in her two smaller ones and smiling weakly at him..._**

"I loved you then, and it's only become stronger since that day. I've seen you change. I've seen the terrible anger you can have, but I _know _in my heart who you are. You will always be that loving older brother, and my greatest friend. I stand by what I said then. You will always have me, no matter what."

His glassy-eyed gaze was all she needed to know that her words had struck home. She knew he was fighting to hide his feelings, and stood to lean in and give him a hug to allow him the luxury of hiding his face. He caught her completely off guard by returning the hug in full, an occurrence that had rarely ever happened before. She beamed behind his back, elated that her words had had such an impact. She maintained the embrace, patiently waiting for him to loosen his hold on her, signifying he had recovered his composure. When he did, she pushed herself back to look him directly in the eye.

"And I know that the others will be the same, even Sharpener. We all know who you are Gohan, even when you try to hide it from us behind that evil little smirk of yours."

As if on cue, he smirked at her and wrinkled his nose at her in mock annoyance. She giggled and gently shoved his shoulder before seating herself back in the chair, her heart soaring at how well things had gone.

"Now Gohan, tell me what you and miss Videl were talking about that was so important I had to hold back the blondes?"

***0600 THE NEXT MORNING***

Videl pulled her hair into her usual pigtails as she strode down the halls of Son ward. It wasn't all that early for her, but the night before had been a long and sleepless one. Her thoughts had been a blend of excitement and apprehension about the coming training. On top of that she felt strange about the events of the day, like she had imagined it all. She had eventually drifted off to a light slumber with the onyx-eyed teen on her mind, only to be startled awake by the alarm clock going off next to her head.

She couldn't help the excited smile that graced her lips as she passed through the entry to the rec-room. She walked towards the roped off ring where Gohan stood watching both of his little siblings in their meditation. She was amazed that he had managed to get them to wake up at such an early hour, and even more amazed that he had gotten them to settle down enough to meditate. She approached him quietly, doing her best not to disturb the three of them in their silent contemplation.

"Good morning Videl."

She froze in her tracks, staring at his back in disbelief.

_How in the world did he know I was there? That's got to be a part of the training he's received. I need to learn how to do that._

"Hey Gohan. Ready to start?"

"Apprehensive I see? Well let's start with a simple warm-up. I know you're strong and skilled, but I want to get a good idea of where you stand right now. So I want you to do two thinsg. First, go ahead and perform a kata or two."

He gestured for her to begin, and without hesitation she flowed into a Kata her father had taught her when she was younger. It was the most advanced one that was taught in his school, and she flowed through the movements with ease. It only lasted a minute or so, and she finished in the same position she began, facing the tall teen in a calm ready position with her hands at her sides and her feet slightly spread. He watched her closely, pursing his lips here and there with evident frustration, but held his comments. She raised an eyebrow at him, slightly puzzled by his evident dissatisfaction and more than a little offended. She had spent hours perfecting all of the kata's taught in her father's dojo.

"I'm curious, could you demonstrate the most basic kata you know for me?"

_The most basic? What's he trying to do here, make me look a fool?_

'Well you did ask him to train you. Maybe there's a reason for it?'

_I don't see how me doing the kata he teaches four year old kids is going to benefit me._

'Humor him?'

_Fine._

She silently began the kata, which was a very simple combination of wide stances, simple punches, and kicks. It emphasized power and balance, and within a little less than a minute, she completed it, returning to the ready. Much to her surprise, when she looked to her new instructor, he was wearing a smirk and stroking his chin in thought. She crossed her arms and waited patiently for him.

"Good enough, now I want you to attack me. Don't hold anything back."

He looked over his shoulder to where his siblings were and placed his hands on his hips.

"Alright kids, that should do for now. Do me a favor and watch Videl? I want you to observe everything she does okay?"

Instantly they snapped out of their serene state and jumped up from their places to rush to the edge of the ring. They seated themselves on their knees with their hands placed on their laps and watched Videl with wide eyes, though she hadn't moved a muscle yet. She fought to contain her laughter at their antics.

_Darned kids are just too cute!_

'Almost makes you wish you had your own huh?'

_Nope stop that! Not right now! Don't think about it..._

Videl returned her gaze towards her instructor and felt her stomach flip-flop. She hated how her mind kept running off to places where she and Gohan were alone and enjoying each-other's... Company... She cleared her throat, fighting to control the heat in her face as she noticed his nose twitch, just as Vegeta's had when they first met.

_Kami that's kinda creepy actually. I don't smell that bad do I? I shower on a regular basis! Well, better get on with this before it gets too awkward._

"So should I attack you now?"

He settled himself into a relaxed fighting stance, one hand held forward in a claw and the rear hand clenched in a fist at his waist. He wiggled the index finger of his forward hand, beckoning her to attack with a smirk on his face.

_Oh that arrogant little..._

She let out a low growl and dropped into her own fighting stance, modeled after her fathers with her weight mostly on her front leg and her hands up in a guard, protecting her face and ribs. She lunged forward, initiating the attack with a round-house aimed at the exposed side of his head. He countered by bringing his rear arm up and quickly pushing her leg aside, using her own momentum against her and forcing her off balance. She recovered quickly, settling herself into her stance again and glaring at him.

_Damn, he's fast! I mean I knew he was fast already, but damn!_

She pushed her attack again, this time flowing into a series of heavy strikes, aimed primarily at his head and chest. Each strike was countered by a lightning fast block or, in most cases, by the demi simply forcing the strike wide and making Videl compensate for the over-extension. Her frustration grew rapidly with each strike until she let out an enraged snarl and sent a side-kick his direction with all her mass behind it. He side-stepped, closing the distance between them down to mere inches and sent an open-palmed strike into her side. She felt the air get forced out of the lung on the side he had hit as she seemingly floated through the air and away from him.

She regained her balance and landed on her feet, staggering back a few steps and clutching her side as she panted for air. She glared at him hard, astounded at the force with which he had hit her. He momentarily showed an emotion resembling worry, but recomposed his neutral expression before she could fully register it. They just stood there sizing each other up for a moment until Gohan stood straight and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"That's enough. Okay you two, what did you see? Why did Videl lose?"

Videl stood straight, massaging her ribs that she knew were going to bruise and wishing she could do the same for her ego. She hated that she had been defeated so easily by the guy.

_I knew he was good, after all i've seen the guy do some pretty crazy things as Bardock. But he swept me aside like I was an amateur. I thought I would at least be able to land a hit on him!_

She turned her eyes to the two children, who didn't seem surprised by the outcome at all, and almost had to laugh at the serious expressions on both of their faces as they watched her. It was just so out of character seeing them with anything besides that goofy grin they both wore. Suddenly Goten brightened his expression, grinning up at his older brother.

"Well she can't beat you Gohan, you're too strong for that!"

Videl felt a heat in her face and glanced over towards Gohan, who appeared to be as nervous as she was embarrassed. He scratched the back of his head and his cheeks took on a slightly pink hue.

"Okay, disregarding the fact that I could overpower her... What about the way she fights?"

Ria tilted her head to the side and concentrated while Goten pouted slightly. Videl raised an eyebrow towards the three of them, suddenly feeling very naive.

_What does he know that I don't? I've been fighting for years, probably even as long as him, yet he noticed something wrong with the way I fight? I've never had a problem taking down other fighters before, so what is it?_

Seeing how neither of the children were catching on, Gohan sighed and crossed his arms. He looked directly at her, catching her gaze in his own.

"You fight like your father."

"So?"

"So? You're not exactly a carbon copy of him are you? Last I checked you weren't six and a half feet tall and muscle-bound."

She was about to retort when what he was getting at began to make sense. She had only ever learned the Karate her father taught at his dojo. His brand of it was focused mostly on powerful strikes and wearing down your opponent in a battle of attrition, and while she was extremely tough for someone her size, she really couldn't match her father for strength just on the grounds that she was so much smaller than him. At the side of the ring, Goten and Ria both seemed to come to the same conclusion as she had, and looked up at their brother excitedly.

_Maybe if I could use my ki for strength like Gohan was talking about yesterday... _

_"_I see you've figured it out short-stop. Someone your size and stature needs to focus on speed and accuracy since strength is not something that comes easily for you. So here's lesson one of your training. We're going to modify your fighting style. I can't un-teach you what you've learned, but I can show you ways to make it work better."

And so her first lesson began. He showed her a modified stance for her to use that evenly distributed her weight and made it much easier for her to move, yet still have the ability to put her weight behind a strike. He even taught her a strange kata that he called "hand of the demon", which he said would help her adjust to the new style quickly. When she asked about the name, he simply stated that he didn't pick it, his instructor had. They were only at it for an hour, but by the time she had run through it for what felt like the hundredth time, she was coated in a light sheen of sweat and panting slightly. She felt slightly degraded, upset that she hadn't gotten to any of the ki training she longed for so much.

"I admit i'm impressed Videl. I didn't expect you to pick up on these things so quickly."

_Pick up on them? We haven't really done anything except teach me a new kata! _

"Now, I only have two more things for today for you. First, and answer me honestly, do you know why I had you do that second kata?"

Her frustration with him pushed to the fore-front of her mind, and she spat the answer at him a little more venomous than she intended.

"No. What was the point of that? I already showed you the most advanced one I knew."

He smirked at her, sending her irritation to a new high.

"I had to see what foundation your fighting style was built on. That's the exact reason I showed you the hand of the demon as well. The hand of the demon is the simplest kata from my first mentor's fighting style. You can change your entire fighting form by simply shifting the foundation."

She grunted in acknowledgement, understanding the concept behind it but still feeling skeptical that anything he had just taught her would help her to fight.

"What's the second thing?"

He nodded over to where the two children were seated again, calm expressions on their faces.

"Meditation. You need to learn to calm your mind and focus on yourself until you can access your ki at will. I warn you, this is going to be one of the harder things you've done."

_Hard? Oh come on, you literally just sit there and do nothing. Even the kids can do it!_

Only five minutes later did she realize how hard it truly was to meditate. She was seated with her legs crossed with her hands on her knees, palms towards each other. She couldn't empty her mind, and she had no clue what he meant by his instructions to "listen to her body until she found a hum". She'd been in that body for over eighteen years and there had never been a "hum". She scrunched her face in concentration and sub-consciously tensed her shoulders.

"Videl you need to relax. Believe me you won't find your ki unless you relax completely."

She groaned and opened her eyes, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Overwhelming doubt came crashing down on her heart as she considered the possibility that maybe she didn't have what it took. Gohan watched her closely, trying to decide the best course of action for her. Inspiration struck and a smirk appeared on his face. He shifted his weight so that he could roll over onto his knees from his position sitting across from her, and shuffled his way to being right in front of her. She glared up at him hopelessly, her eyes full of sorrow.

"Maybe if you knew what it was supposed to feel like? Here, hold out your hands."

She furrowed her brow, but did as he asked. He took hold of her hands in his own and held them up between them with a small space in between. Her stomach knotted at the contact and the close proximity and she knew her blush betrayed her thoughts as she fought to contain her excitement. However he appeared not to notice anything, and continued in low tones that echoed through her head and sent chills down her spine.

"I'm going to try and assist you in finding your ki, so I need you to relax. Do not be afraid of what you feel. First, close your eyes."

_Kami this is so not cool! If he kept talking to me like that i'd strip on command... No stop! Focus!_

She quickly shut her eyes, willing her heart to slow it's pounding in her chest.

"Now relax. Deep breaths. In through the nose, and out through the mouth."

_Dammit just stop talking and maybe I can! Grr you and your damn... sexy... voice!_

Willing herself to be calm, she followed his instructions, breathing in through her nose deeply. All at once she felt her nerves and anxiety melt away under the influence of the most amazing smell. It cut right through her other senses and she lost herself in the smell of fresh woodland air. Her muscles gave up their tension immediately and she felt a calm come over her mind that she hadn't felt for years. In place of her constant worries and doubts, there was nothing. Behind her eyes she saw only black as she exhaled and inhaled, reveling in the scent. Then came the strange sensations.

Gohan's hands never left hers, but she could feel a strange tug in her stomach that somehow seemed to be connected to them. Warmth spread from the back of her hands into her arms and straight to her core. She felt the urge to fight the feeling, but suppressed it.

_Don't be afraid of what you feel. Listen to your body. __There._

She felt the nothingness that was he body at rest. She heard it. There in her core, she could feel the warmth. It was subtle at first, easily missed, but soon seemed to glow in her mind's eye. Then she could hear it, just as she felt it. That hum he had spoke of. The heat radiating from it emerged, flowing through her chest and following the trail the earlier warmth had traced through her body until it paused at her hands. Her fingers tingled with warmth and she felt Gohan's hands leave her own, leaving the back of her hands slightly cold.

"There, now look."

She opened her eyes and had to suppress her shout of joy for there in between her outstretched palms was a ping-pong ball sized ball of ki that glowed with a very white-blue hue.

**A/N: So if anyone want's to know, I always though it was silly that Gohan taught Videl how to fly in the anime, but nothing more. I'm not saying anything about upcoming chapters *cough*, just making a personal note. Stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	18. The Moment of Truth

**Hallo! Okay so I had a lot of internal debate on what I should do this chapter. I had a basic idea for what to do, but probably a dozen different avenues of approach for it. Read on my good people, and let me know how my decision was! Thanks for all the reviews, right quick I have to make a shout out though:**

**Dyton - your review literally made me laugh out loud. That image of the car-wash wasn't what I had in mind, but that quickly changed as soon as I read it! You made a very long and slow night at work a million times better!**

**Anyways, on to the chapter! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 18: The Moment of Truth  
**

***HALLOWEEN NIGHT – WEST CITY SUB-URBS***

"SUGAR-SUGAR-SUGAR-SUGAR-SUGAR-"

Gohan sighed and picked up his little brother from behind, doing his best to suppress the boy's energy in a firm embrace while little Marron skipped along next to him happily. The night was crisp and cool, and smelled of autumn. But despite the calm feel of the night air, the street was abuzz with activity as children and parents roamed from house to house, collecting candy in the human ritual of trick or treat. His little brother was practically vibrating with pent-up energy and Gohan mentally kicked himself for allowing the child to get into his candy bag before they got back to Bulmas. He glanced over at his little gang, checking on their progress as the kids ran about trick or treating.

One house down was Erasa and Sharpener dressed in a Mario-Peach costume combo. Erasa pulled the Princess peach look perfectly, even donning a wig to get her hair the right length, while Sharpener was wearing a ridiculous looking false mustache and had a pillow stuffed in his overalls to make him look more expansive. They escorted a very hyper Trunks, who had disguised himself as what Gohan could only describe as a "tiki demon". He was wearing a roughly carved wooden mask that looked like it had been pulled right off of a tiki totem, fangs included. He wore an over-sized grass skirt that rustled with every movement and was toting a vicious looking fake spear that he waved about excitedly. The two blondes chased him around, exhausted and looking quite disgruntled.

Beyond them he spotted Videl and Lime as they followed around his little sister. Lime had chosen to wear a very good mock-up of Lara Croft, complete with fake pistols and thigh-holsters. Ria had decided to wear a "Videl Satan" costume, much to the raven haired girl's embarrassment. She even had the crime fighter's glare down, which sent the others into a fit of giggles at the uncanny resemblance. Videl decided that one of her on the scene was more than enough, and wore a Kitana costume from Mortal Kombat. The blue fighter's robe she wore was much less risqué than what was displayed in the video game, but still showed off enough of her features to make Gohan's blood boil. She even had the fans and mask to complete the look, and in Gohan's opinion, she pulled it off a little too well.

He himself had even decided to dress up for the occasion, going with the Mortal Kombat theme by dressing as Scorpion. The mask that covered the lower half of his face glowed with a golden yellow that was ever-present in his field of view, and the costume itself felt constricting. He secretly wondered how Scorpion could be such a great fighter in such a tight pair of pants.

Goten was dressed as Bardock, having had Bulma create him a miniature version of Gohan's fighting suit, minus the watch. At first Gohan had been fully against the idea, fearing that he would somehow let loose the real identity of Bardock. But he had gradually relented under the persuasion of his siblings and Lime. After all, how could he deny his little brother the right to want to be like him? Marron was dressed up as a fairy, complete with a tiny pair of sparkly wings and a star wand. Her father strode along slightly behind Gohan in his normal clothes, watching the group with an air of amusement.

Gohan glanced over at his Godfather as he struggled with the hyped up demi-saiyan, his eyes begging for assistance. Krillin just chuckled and scratched the back of his head, ruffling his black hair.

"Nope, can't do anything for you here Gohan. I'm not willing to put my face on the line again, much less any other sensitive body parts. Besides, you're the one who let him eat all those candies."

Gohan gave him a quick glare with his eyes narrowed that said "yea huh, sure". It was true, Goten had unintentionally kicked their godfather in the face when he was only two years old. But that had been on accident, and Gohan knew that it hadn't really hurt the seasoned fighter. Right now he was sure that Krillin just wanted to watch him suffer.

He returned his eyes to the struggling form of his little brother, who was now dangling upside down by his ankles as Gohan fought to hold him.

"Gohan let me go! Please? I wanna go play with Trunks!"

Gohan rolled his eyes and could just imagine the look his little brother was giving him through the mini helmet he was wearing slightly askew on his head. He smirked behind the face mask and sighed before releasing his brother's legs and watching him zip off to catch his best friend.

_Well, have fun with that one guys. Erasa and Sharpie are going to hate me for that._

Gohan halted to watch after the young demi-saiyan as he sped towards an unsuspecting Trunks and tackled him from the side, just as the door he had been standing in front of opened. He couldn't help it, he had to laugh at the look on the young woman's face as she stared blankly at the spot where the child had been a second before.

_Gotta love kids. I swear, between the three of them, I could either die from laughter or die from embarrassment. It all depends what side of their shenanigans I'm on._

"So Gohan, tell me, is it true that you've taken on a couple students?"

He returned his gaze to the seasoned warrior as he picked up his daughter and strode over to where Gohan was. He nodded, reminiscing on the twins' progress with learning how to fly and Videl's dedication to finding her ki. While the raven haired girl had been having difficulty recreating the ball of ki on her own over the week, she had finally managed to access it earlier that morning, if only for a second. It was a huge step in her abilities. Additionally she had already managed to alter her fighting style into something that fit her very well, though he knew she doubted it. As they were living in the same building for the last week, their morning training sessions had gone unhindered and she was learning very fast.

"Yea, Videl and the twins both came to me right after that incident in the docks district of Satan City."

The older man's expression darkened slightly as he glanced around Gohan to where Videl and Lime could be seen laughing at the two boys as they wrestled for control of the spear and Ria munched away on their candy.

"Speaking of, are you sure that these guys are okay with all this? I mean I don't know them personally but them knowing is a huge risk on your part."

"Krillin, just stop. They're my friends, and I trust them."

The words came out much more forceful than he intended, causing his godfather to stare at him, taken aback. He relaxed his glare, realizing just how much the fighter's subtle accusation had actually affected him. He pondered his outburst for a moment, trying to remember just when it mattered to him so much what people thought of his friends.

"Alright Gohan, I got it, they can be trusted. I'm just looking out for you is all."

Gohan sighed and relaxed, clapping his godfather on the shoulder.

"I know Krillin. Sorry about that, it's just been so long you know? I mean since I had normal friends. Actually now that I think about it there never really were, unless you count a giant purple dragon who thinks he's a dog."

"Well what about Lime?"

Gohan smirked and raised an eyebrow at the older man.

"Well she's not exactly normal is she? Remember Krillin she's my sister in all but blood. Saying that she was a friend would be like calling you and Bulma friends."

Krillin hefted his daughter, who was now solely focused on a lollipop grasped in her tiny clutches. A huge grin spread across his face as he looked up at his godson.

"I suppose not. Just one of the benefits of being a godfather I suppose huh? I get to be in on the little roller-coaster that is your life."

Gohan let his playful side take over, and he sneered down at the short fighter. He held up his hand to just above the top of his head and peered down at him with a chuckle.

"Well not a roller coaster. I wouldn't have let you on board, there's a height limit old man."

The fighter hesitated, blinking a couple times while the joke sank in. When it did he growled and narrowed his eyes up at the tall teen.

"Hey! Just because you've become a six foot something giant doesn't mean you get to make fun of my height!"

Gohan laughed, grasping his godfather's shoulder again for support. Krillin's scowl slowly transformed into a smile, starting at the corners of his lips until finally he was laughing along with the tall demi. When they finally recovered, they found they had made it to the end of the street already. They turned and decided to wait for the rest of their entourage to catch up. Marron continued to work at her lollipop, a half-lidded and tired expression on her face as she leaned into her father's shoulder.

"I think it's time to get these kids off to bed. I bet you that by the time we get back, the demon trio's collective sugar high will have worn off."

Gohan smiled at that, knowing full well how quickly a half-saiyan's body could burn through that much sugar.

"So uhh… Gohan you got any plans for either of those two lovely ladies you've become acquainted with?"

Gohan furrowed his brow and stared seriously at his godfather, who was wearing a suggestive smile and quirking his eyebrows at him. Immediately his thoughts were directed towards a certain raven haired crime fighter what was steadily making her way towards them. He liked her; he knew it full well that he wanted her. Yet he feared what could happen if he were to allow himself to give in to his urges. He was worried about how she would react to learning about the rest of him. Above that though he worried for her safety. What if some new evil were to come to his home, and what if she became a target. He could never forgive himself if anything were to happen to her. For a moment, he considered bringing the dilemma to his godfather's attention, but he couldn't bring himself to ask for advice.

"No, no plans."

"Ahh such a shame, and here I thought you had finally found you a lady friend."

A heavy silence hung in the air until the rest of the group caught up to them and Krillin decapsulized the car that Bulma had given them for the evening. They gathered up the squabbling children and secured them within the vehicle, and true to Gohan's prediction, the four youngsters were out cold within minutes of being in the car.

Gohan sat between his little siblings, allowing them to lean into him as they slept with his large arms draped around them. He'd pulled off the mask of his costume and a soft smile graced his features as he gazed down upon the sleeping terrors.

"Hey Krillin, where is 18? I sorta expected her to come along with us."

Gohan glanced over to the bubbly blonde, who's voice could barely contain her disappointment at not getting to talk the beautiful blondes ears off about fashion or some other girly thing. He admitted, it was odd that the android had not made an appearance.

"Well to be honest, I don't know what her and the girls are doing. All I know is that Bulma, Chi Chi and 18 all gathered together before we left. I've never been one to question a girl's night out though. They don't get to have those very often. I think they even managed to get Launch in on it, which hasn't happened since before Gohan was born."

Gohan smirked, getting a very good idea what a few aging and very busy mothers would be doing on a Halloween night without the company of their men.

_Hopefully they don't over-do it tonight, or tomorrow they're going to be _very _difficult to deal with. _

"Ah okay. Well alright!"

The blonde beamed at the short fighter, earning a nervous smile from him at her sudden change in attitude before she turned her attention to her best friend. Videl had removed the face-mask she was wearing and was leaning back into her seat with a tired expression.

"Videl, what do you think your pops is going to say at that press conference tomorrow? You don't think he's going to come clean about the whole Cell thing do you?"

Gohan immediately focused on the two girls. Videl scowled at the mention of her father's sudden press conference that he had called for immediately after arriving back at home the previous day. Gohan had a sneaking suspicion that Hercule was going to claim something ridiculous about his absence since the fighting at the docks or at the worst, reveal the identity of Bardock. But he had decided he should wait and watch. After all, he had already made the mistake of pre judging before.

"I doubt it Erasa, my dad's gotten way too comfortable with his current wealth arrangement. I admit I'm worried he might let something slip about Bardock or something of that nature, but to be honest I don't know what he has planned. He just told me that it was something important."

_Well at least she's as worried about it as I am. That man really is a wild card for us; a simple statement from him could sway the entire population of this world._

"Maybe it's got something to do with the tournament?"

"I don't know Erasa. Speaking of the tournament though… Gohan, what are you going to do about the helmet? You know that head protection is prohibited in the ring."

Gohan locked eyes with her for a moment before he let a smirk appear on his lips and he pulled on the mask that was now pulled down below his chin.

"I'll just have to wear a hood and mask. I'm not too worried about letting people see my eyes since there are so few who know me."

Videl nodded in acknowledgement. Erasa quirked an eyebrow at him and glanced between the two fighters.

"You're going to take it easy on the competition right? You know that Videl can't beat you one on one. And didn't you say that hunk Vegeta was going to compete too?"

In the front seat, Krillin snorted and fought to contain his laughter at the blonde calling Vegeta a hunk. Gohan smirked and stared directly at his student with a devious glint in his eyes.

"Oh no, there will be no 'going easy' on miss short-stop here. Though I might let her have the victory if she can earn it."

"Yea and I don't know if my wife or brother in law is going to take it easy either. Shoot I might even enter this year, just to get back in the ring. I know I'm going to get owned if I have to fight you or Vegeta though."

Videl pouted and gazed at Gohan with those sparkling cerulean eyes and he almost decided to take back his statement. But her expression shifted and she smiled at him.

"Don't even think about it Gohan. I know I can't beat you, but I want to test myself. Besides, you already know my reason for wanting to fight in this tournament, and you wouldn't let little old me get thrown into the wilderness of the city would you?"

He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"No, I think I'd force you to stay in your father's mansion until you can beat me in the ring."

Her face took on a horrified expression, extracting laughter from the other three teens in the car as they watched their playful banter.

"You wouldn't dare!"

***THE FOLLOWING MORNING – SON WARD LIVING ROOM***

"Well here we go guys. Videl's pops is gonna give his little speech soon."

"Let's hope the fool doesn't do anything he's going to regret later."

Everyone had gathered in the living room with the exception of the Son Matron, Bulma, and the children. The five teenagers sat about on assorted couches and chairs, mixed in with Krillin, Vegeta, and a very disgruntled looking android 18. The atmosphere in the room was laced with a nervous buzz as Hercule took the stage on screen before the Satan Mansion grounds. Gohan absently listened to the conversation, but had his attention focused on the man on screen, pondering what he would do. He glanced to his left and caught Videl's gaze in his own, quickly deciphering the worry that filled those cerulean orbs. She gave him a curt nod and returned her eyes to the screen, nervously wringing her hands.

_Wow she's really worried about this..._

He returned his gaze to the screen as the news caster picked up the silence.

_"And now the champ himself will make the announcement that we've been waiting for the last couple days. Let's go to him now."_

His voice faded quickly and a faint buzz could be picked up from the microphone mounted on the podium as Hercule took his place behind it. He cleared his throat and closed his eyes for a moment, gripping the edges of the podium. When he re-opened his eyes he had his glare set and an air of confidence about him.

_"People of the world, I have some news that may startle several of you. Even for me, this is hard to reveal."_

Gohan's eyes shot wide open and he felt a cold silence snap through the room. All attention was on the screen and the aged fighter, and he could feel Videl's ki spike dangerously.

_"Recently I have been in the company of my daughter and her friends."_

_Shit he's really going through with this! He's really about to tell them all who I am._

Anger started to well up in his stomach, and he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. He didn't turn his head to look at who it was, he could feel Krillins ki fluctuating right behind him and knew that his own must have been building.

_"And I have come to a conclusion that I know many of you, including her will be disappointed by."_

He paused for affect and took a deep breath, looking dead into the camera.

_"Due to my daughter's involvement in the adult division this tournament, and my wish to allow the newest group of fighters to come forth, I have withdrawn from the tournament as a competitor. I have already spoken to the tournament director, and he has agreed to let me stay as the honored guest and fighter in an auxiliary match with the tournament champion, and to be the man to pass on the belt to the new champion."_

Silence. The entire group stared at the image of the man in disbelief, and Gohan could practically feel the shock of the planet as their savior backed out of a fight.

_He's quitting? Okay that was definitely not where i thought he was going to go with this. What could be his reason for this. I mean obviously he knows that several of the Z fighters are going to compete, making him incapable of winning. But just to hold up an appearance I thought he would at least fight us. Or bribe us to let him win. Dende knows he has enough money for it._

He stole a glance to Videl, who seemed to be in deep thought as he was, nibbling on her thumbnail with a hard glare at the ground. Then it hit him all at once, and the genius behind Hercules statement suddenly made sense.

_Due to his daughter's involvement and the newest group of fighters... He know's he cant beat us in a fair fight so he backs out of it. But he tells the world it's to make room for the new fighters, and so that he doesn't have to fight his daughter. That way he doesn't lose face when someone beats him, and it makes him appear an honorable and generous man who wants to give others a chance at his glory. It makes it look like he's giving it out to those who are lesser than him. Hercule, you clever dog, you've managed to find a way to stay in the seat of honor without having to fight._

His thoughts were interrupted by a harsh bark of laughter emanating from the prince of saiyans in the back of the room.

"Oh look, the fool got scared and dropped the gloves. Well done brat, I think you knocked him off his high horse!"

The tension in the room lifted and the group buzzed excitedly with each other about the tournament. Gohan held his tongue and looked towards the champs daughter. Again their eyes locked and the serious expression on both their faces spoke all the words that they needed. Both of them knew the motive behind the old fighters words, and neither of them knew what to do about it.

***MONDAY AFTER HALLOWEEN - OSH***

Videl groaned and massaged her temples as she sat down next to her best friend in their first period class. She couldn't believe the amount of gossip being thrown at her this morning. Somehow, someone had gotten word that she had stayed with Gohan and Lime over the week long break and the rumors had started flowing. She had even been intercepted by Angela, a girl who had approached Gohan shortly after his arrival at the school, asking how he was in the sack. Thinking back on it, her yelling her denial of anything happening loudly with a furious blush probably didn't help her situation, but she didn't know what to think at the time.

_Well nothing like_ that _happened anyways... I mean I did expose his alter ego and learn how to find my ki thanks to him, but nothing as fun as _that. _Why__ can't people just leave it alone? It's painfully obvious he isn't interested in me as anything other than a friend. I mean Lime says he likes me but he never shows it, so what the hell am I supposed to do? _

She chanced a look at her crush and noticed he must have been hearing the rumors as well, evident in his focused glare and the slight twitch in his eye. She couldn't help but wonder if his irritation was due to the accusations of his affection being falsely given, or if perhaps they were true. She hoped that everyone was right and he did feel something for her and just hadn't acted on it.

'Come on just ask him! What could possibly happen?'

_Rejection, denial, pain. What if it creates a rift between us?_

'Would it be worse than this game you two are playing now?'

_Oh I don't know. At least now we can be together and talk normally._

'How long can you keep that up though?'

_This is the first time I've felt this way about a guy, so I don't know._

Her inner war was interrupted by the opening and closing of the classroom door and the arrival of their teacher. She sighed and pulled her notebook from her bag and prepared herself to take notes, ignoring Erasa's babble as she talked Gohan's ear off about all the things that had happened with the students of Orange Star High over the week of Halloween.

***ONE WEEK BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT - SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE THE CITY***

"Okay Videl, I think that's enough meditation. You can release it now."

Videl gently exhaled and opened her eyes. She took a moment to gaze happily at the little blue ball of energy hovering in front of her between her hands. It had been a long three weeks since the day she had left Capsule Corp, and the sporadic lessons with Gohan didn't happen often enough for her liking. He had given her a workout regiment that completely destroyed her body on a daily basis which was only made worse when he had given her the weighted shirt, shoes, and wristbands that she was currently wearing. The daily ritual of performing her katas as well as the hand of the demon became second-nature to her, and her daily meditation when she woke and prepared for bed showed promise. She was able to find her ki at any given moment of the day, though bringing it out still took a high level of concentration on her part. She had even played with the ball of energy on more than one occasion, trying to figure out how to throw it. The result was much more drastic than she had expected.

**~~~Flashback~~~**

Videl concentrated, sitting cross-legged on the floor of the deserted dojo. Gohan had left over an hour before and she was still holding the ball of ki between her hands. The day before, she had been out on call for the police and yet again seen Gohan throw a golden ball of light at a particularly heavily armed suspect. Her curiosity got the better of her and she cracked her eyes to peek around the gym. She knew there was nobody there, but her mentor had a tendency to show up when she least expected it.

_He makes that look so easy, so maybe... _

She considered the ball of ki in between her palms and experimentally pushed her hands forward. The ball of ki shot forward with them but dissipated as soon as it slipped from between her hands. She felt the flow of energy sever and her hands suddenly felt cold. Furrowing her brow, she replayed the image of him throwing a ki ball in her mind and thought about how it should look. She stood and stared at her hand curiously, holding it out palm up directly in front of her. She quickly searched for the hum of her ki and tapped into it, tracing it through her arm and into her hand, where another ball of ki formed, slightly smaller than the first. She concentrated on keeping the flow of energy there, and glanced around for something sturdy.

_Hmm well... This thing couldn't be more powerful than my kicks, so maybe the sandbag?_

She found the object, swinging slightly from its mount on the ceiling and settled herself into a front stance with her arm held back, wound up to throw like a baseball.

_Here we go..._

She took a deep breath and threw her arm forward as if to release the ball of ki. As soon as her arm reached it's forward most point she extended her fingers as if to release the ball, and immediately felt the energy disperse from the ball into nothingness. Staring at her hand, she thought about the event, curious at how the energy had felt when she attempted to literally throw it.

_Maybe it's not so much... throwing... After all it's not strength based to find it, so why would you have to rely on strength to throw it?_

She quirked an eyebrow and glared at her hand. Again she summoned the ki from her core and formed it in her hand. She took her stance and raised her hand as if to throw it again before she caught herself and dropped it to her waist.

_Let's try to just... push it. Maybe that'll work better?_

She crouched in her stance and growled, concentrating on the energy flow into her hand. She stepped forward and rotated her hips into the motion, thrusting the hand with the ball of ki forward. She kept the line of energy open and felt the rush as it channeled through her palm and into the ball. To her surprise the ball shot forward on a thin beam of white-blue light that connected with the sandbag with a loud crack like a gunshot. She was so startled by the success of her attempt that she unintentionally cut the energy and collapsed backwards on her butt, staring at the sandbag in utter disbelief as sand poured from the foot-wide rent in the side.

_Holy shit! Gohan wasn't kidding when he said this stuff is powerful._

**~~~End Flashback~~~**

That had been the previous week, and just as she predicted, Gohan knew about it. He hadn't been upset with her, much to the crime fighter's relief. He had however explained the dangers of ki blasts, besides the obvious destructive power of such an attack. He had explained the dangers of expending too much energy at once, which could possibly result in the destruction of the person doing the attack.

She allowed a small smile to dance on her lips as she gazed upon the ball of ki in her hands. She severed the flow of energy and watched the ball dissipate into nothing before looking up expectantly at her instructor. He seemed to be deep in thought, his eyes considering her as she sat patiently waiting for him. He made up his mind and sighed, running a hand through his hair in that same careless manner that she found so sexy.

"I can't believe I'm saying this already, but I think you're ready to try flight. You've gotten good enough at finding your ki that I think I can teach you some rudimentary control of it. You've caught on almost as fast as I did when I was a child, and my mentor called me a natural. I'm impressed."

She beamed at his praise, her curiosity at his unnamed mentor being swept aside by the excitement that bubbled up in her chest. She stood quickly, brushing the grass from her spandex shorts.

"Really?! Okay what do I do?"

She couldn't help the excitement leaking into her voice, and he smirked at her.

"That excited huh? Well then, let's begin. We're going to try just getting you off the ground first, then we can work on movement. First, go ahead and find a relaxed stance and find your ki again."

She did so, closing her eyes and quickly locating that hum. She wrapped her thoughts around it, and nodded her head at him with her eyes still closed.

"Good, now essentially what you're going to do is the same as creating a ki blast, but instead of projecting the energy from yourself, you're going to force it under you in a cushion. Think of your jet-copter."

_Well that's not the greatest example, but I think I got it. _

She took hold of the energy, drawing it out as she had before, but instead of pushing it through her hands, she focused it downward. Or atleast, that's what she wanted to happen. The actual result was her ki refusing to budge. She furrowed her brow in concentration.

_Okay this is different. What am I missing here?_

She stiffened when she felt a looming presence directly in front of her. A pair of large hands gently grabbed onto her arms at the shoulder. She flinched at the contact and snapped her eyes open to stare up into the calm black orbs of Gohan's eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile and the tension left her suddenly, leaving her knees feeling weaker than she remembered.

"Here, I'll guide you again."

_Focus! He's helping you to fly, not making a move on you! Come on girl, you can do this._

She nodded and closed her eyes again, willing herself to rid her mind of him; ignoring the fact that he was touching her and was less than a foot away from her. She inhaled deeply, and immediately found that same scent she had reveled in the first time he had helped her discover her ki; that same sweet woodland fragrance that shut out all of her fears and her worries. Her nerves immediately left her and she grasped onto her ki as she relaxed her mind, drinking in the scent.

A foreign energy rushed into her. Again she found the urge to try and repel it and subconsciously tensed. The energy flowing into her halted, its warm presence warming her chest as it waited.

_No, not foreign... That's Gohan. The same Gohan you've become so infatuated with. Relax and let him help._

She exhaled and relaxed her body, allowing him to continue. His energy gently pulled hers out, just as it had before, and in her mind's eye she could see the two of them meshing together and being pushed down. She felt a slight wind pick up around them, pushing up under her baggy t-shirt and making her pigtails fly back over her shoulders.

She felt a new kind of pressure on her feet as the cushion he had described formed below her. She focused harder than she had ever done before, keeping the channel of energy open as it flowed from her. It was strange to her, like she was standing on sand. It wasn't solid, but she knew that her feet were no longer on the earth.

_Whoa, this is… Amazing!_

She cracked her eyes and beamed when she discovered that she was several feet off the ground. She felt buoyant, and energy pumped through her limbs as the realization that she was actually doing it hit her. She looked around for her mentor and was startled to find him still on the ground below, watching her closely with a small smile on his face. That was when she realized that after that initial push, his energy had withdrawn. She had been, and still was, controlling it on her own.

The realization startled her to the point that she wobbled in the air, fighting to maintain the downward push. Her focus dissipated quickly as her heart rate climbed and she began to fall.

_Shit this is going to hurt!_

She squeezed her eyes shut and extended her hands to try and halt her descent, but to no avail. Her descent halted abruptly and she grabbed onto the nearest thing she could. She felt a pair of hands grasp her around the waist and she fell against a warm presence.

_Gohan._

The demi-saiyan gently lowered her the rest of the way to the ground, but held onto her as she tried to regain control of her wobbly knees. She fought to reduce the pounding of her heart, taking deep breaths and clutching onto his gi shirt over his muscular arms.

_That smell... It's him! Kami he's… Perfect…_

She removed her face from its comfortable resting place on his chest and gently pulled back to look up at him. His eyes were sharp. Focused. His face held a very slight frown, but his eyes were almost begging of her. She felt her stomach flip as she took in his dark eyes, trying to decipher what was going on in his head. They looked at each other for what seemed like forever, onyx locked in an endless battle with cerulean. She felt her heart pounding in her ears and her stomach seemed to have taken on a life of its own, dancing around like it was now. She barely noticed his hands were still on her waist, allowing their warmth to seep into her through her shirt.

In the blink of an eye, her resolve snapped. Her heart jumped in her chest and her breath caught as she made a brash decision against her better judgment. She reached up to grab him around the back of his head and pulled him down forcefully. Pushing herself up on the tips of her toes, she found his lips with hers, locking them together firmly. At first, he seemed to freeze, and for a split second a jolt of fear shot through her and she wondered if she had gone too far.

_The moment of truth._

He hesitated, hands still planted on her hips and his eyes wide as she kissed him. But he relented, and his eyes relaxed slowly and he sank into the kiss further. His hands found their way to the small of her back, holding her up against him and he gently pushed back against the kiss.

_Yes! YES!_

Joy shot through her of a kind she hadn't felt before. Never before had she felt a level of bliss that could compare to the emotional bubble threatening to explode from her chest right now. She had finally made the move, and he wasn't rejecting her. She could have screamed it out to the world if she weren't occupied at the moment. She tightened their embrace, locking her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss. There was a tug on her stomach, warmth spreading through her body faster than she could control it, and suddenly she lost herself in it.

Passion was something she was most certainly familiar with, having fought for what she believed was right for the last few years, but it paled in comparison to what she felt right now. The urge to make herself one with the tall teen was overwhelming. She pressed herself against his hard body, assisted by his large hands. His scent flooded her senses and her breathing came in heavy, choppy breaths. She pushed her tongue against his lips begging for entrance, and he quickly gave it, thereby initiating the battle of the tongues as they explored each other. His hands found their way under her shirt, and she found herself letting loose a moan at the feel of his rough skin against hers around her waistline. A deep rumble emanated from his chest that she could only describe as a purr. The sound only served to make her want him more, and her hands clawed at his gi top, willing it to magically disappear.

But as suddenly as it began, it stopped. He pulled back from the embrace, gently holding her body away from him and panting, still leaning in with his forehead close to hers. Her eyes snapped open to take in his pained expression with his eyes shut tight, and immediately her heart jumped into throat.

_Oh Kami… I didn't mean to go that far… I just… Shit!_

She fought to control her breathing and watched his expression, still clutching onto his gi top. He shook his head, and she could see him fighting with himself in his mind as he chewed on the inside of his cheeks. She reached up and grabbed the back of his head, running her hands through his soft black hair and holding onto him for dear life. Panic filled her as she felt his intention to run, like it was being projected from him in waves.

"Don't go! Please don't go. I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me."

'Yes you do girl! You finally manned up and made a move.'

_Yea and now he's panicking! That was way too fast!_

'Maybe you're just that bad of a kisser.'

_Worry about that later!_

His hands left her waist, leaving the skin chilled against the cool autumn air where they had been seconds before. He gently reached up and grasped her wrists, removing her hands from his head. The panic in her mind diminished quickly, replaced suddenly by a fear that she couldn't understand. He gently held her wrists, refusing to open his eyes and look at her.

"I do. Please understand I can't… I don't know how… Kami I'm sorry."

Dread filled her, overpowering the fear that had filled her heart only seconds before, and she could feel her eyes beginning to sting in the suddenly cold air. She watched him as he backed away from her, his expression that of a tormented man.

_I don't understand! He kissed me back, and it was amazing! What are you so afraid of Gohan? What could be so bad that you have to run from this?_

His eyebrows furrowed as soon as the thought darted across her mind and his eyes shot open wide, revealing his horrified eyes. His eyes searched her face for a couple seconds, fear etched across his features. Suddenly his brow furrowed and his jaw set, and he glared at the ground.

"Gohan what's wrong? Is it me?"

He didn't respond for a second, when he did his gaze locked with hers again she could read the fear deep in his eyes, though his face was now under his control once again.

"In a way, yes... You're the only person I've felt this way about before."

Inwardly, she was cheering for joy. He did care for her; he had just admitted it to her openly.

"But… You don't know what kind of mess you would get into with me in the picture Videl."

Outrage. Plain and simple that was what she felt at his words. Her elation at his admittance of affection towards her were quickly overpowered by her anguish.

"Gohan that's crazy! I don't care about-"

"Videl you don't understand!"

She was shocked into silence at the harsh tone of his words. His eyes glinted dangerously as he glared at her, but it only lasted a moment. They lost their harsh visage and his face fell, again falling back into the lost and fearful gaze directed towards the ground.

"There is so much about me that you still don't know, and I don't know if you are prepared for it. I don't know if _I'm _prepared."

She ran the words over in his mind, trying to make sense of his train of thought. What could have possibly been so bad as to push her away now? He had lived a strange life she knew, and he was by no standard a normal man. But she had learned of how he had killed Cell, and the knowledge had only made her attachment to him stronger. What else could there be?

She steeled herself against her nerves and closed the distance between them and grabbing onto his shoulders firmly with both hands. She looked up, directly into his face.

"Try me Gohan. Help me to understand."

She kept her voice firm, willing herself to break through to him. She could practically hear the inner war he was having with himself. She wasn't sure what to do for him to convince him to open up. He seemed so lost, like a kid that had been taken from his home. His eyes were downcast and shadowed.

"Please?"

That one softly spoken word seemed to snap him out of his state, and he raised his gaze to meet hers. Those black orbs were so full of fear and sorrow that she had to fight the urge to pull him into a hug. The burning in her eyes returned and threw caution to the wind, bringing up a hand to his cheek. Her heart ached for him to talk to her. Slowly his features softened as he searched her eyes, and he seemed to deflate slightly. Fear came through her mind again seemingly out of nowhere, only to be replaced with a strong feeling of apprehension. He sighed and closed his eyes, and Videl held her breath in anticipation.

***SON RESIDENCE – THREE HOURS LATER***

Lime and Chi Chi watched the twins float about through the window to the kitchen. Lime couldn't help the content smile on her face as she washed the dishes from their lunch earlier. The two younger Son children were so full of energy and happiness as they chased each other around the yard through the air that it was impossible not to be happy. They had been at it since Gohan had left for his lesson with Videl.

She glanced towards the clock and had to do a double take when she realized what time it was. She sent her gaze skywards, searching for a sign of her adopted brother.

_He should have been back a long time ago! What could be taking him so long?_

Before she could even respond, an excited shout from one of the twins rang through the house.

"Big brother! You're back! Come on let's play, we've been waiting for you to get back!"

"Yea just wait til you see how fast I can fly now!"

She couldn't see him through the window, but knew he had landed close to the house by the twins' excited faces looking somewhere off to their right. Immediately she knew something was off when their faces dropped slightly to a disappointed pout. Then she heard his voice, quiet and strangely choked.

"Not today squirts, sorry. Maybe tomorrow okay?"

The front door to the Son home opened and closed, leaving the twins to stare sadly at the place their idol had just been. Lime and Chi Chi shared a worried look, and Lime hurriedly dried her hands off.

"I'll go. I've got a feeling that this isn't going to be pretty."

***GOHAN'S ROOM***

"Gohan?..."

Lime gently pushed the door open with a slight creak, peeking around the edge of the door. Gohan raised his gaze from where he sat on the edge of his bed, silently gesturing for her to come in. She noted how pale he was, like he had just seen a ghost. Immediately she put herself on guard.

_This doesn't look good. That's the look of a man who has just gone through a major life change. Last time I saw him with that look was in the week immediately after Broly._

She stepped into the room and locked the door behind her before striding across the room and settling herself on the bed next to him. She pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging her legs close and watching him out the corner of her eyes. For a while they just sat in silence. She thought she was going to have to initiate the conversation again when he broke the silence. His voice was thick with some emotion she couldn't identify.

"I think I may have very well made a huge mistake today Lime. Maybe the biggest in my life."

She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to understand. He had always claimed responsibility for things that were not his fault, yet he had maintained for almost as long as she had known him that his greatest downfall was the death of his father. Ice crawled through her veins at the thought, and her worry skyrocketed as she watched him. He turned his head to look at her, locking eyes with her. She tried to name the emotion she read in his eyes, but found no such luck.

"Videl… Well… She sorta…"

Lime blinked at him a few times, trying to register what he was saying. Immediately she thought of how the two had been eyeing each other during their time at Capsule Corp. A jolt ran up her spine and her eyes snapped wide.

"No! You didn't!"

He quirked an eyebrow at her, confusion evident in his eyes now.

"Wait, what do you think we did?"

She raised her eyebrows, deadpanning at him. He caught on to her silent implication and jerked back in surprise, a fierce blush on his face.

"No, no none of that Lime! Kami you've been hanging out with Erasa too much."

Now it was Lime's turn to blush. She felt her face grow hot and rolled her eyes, attempting to suppress her embarrassment. He was right, since they had been hanging out, her mind had truly gone to the gutters.

"Well what _did_ you do? I thought you were going to be back a couple hours ago! What happened?"

"I was teaching her how to fly. She'd been working so hard that I thought she was prepared for it."

Lime felt a pang of fear as a half-dozen scenarios ran through her head, each involving some horrible accident and Videl getting hurt. Evidently her fear was evident in her expression because he reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder in a reassuring manner, jerking her out of her self-induced panic.

"She's fine Lime. Back home actually."

"Well then what happened? Stop stalling and tell me already you jerk!"

At that his eyes seemed to grow distant and his expression became serious. Lime held her breath. His eyes refocused and he locked eyes with his sister.

"She kissed me. Full on kissed me..."

_Oh damn! Okay yea this is a big deal alright…_

She focused on him hard, gauging his emotions as best she could.

"And I gave in to it. I kissed her right back."

Shock wasn't a good enough word to cover what Lime felt. It couldn't be. Gohan had never allowed his emotions to take control of him like that unless he was in a particularly foul mood. Unless Videl was that bad of a kisser, had she really managed to make him give in to his positive side? She felt a tug on the corner of her lips as she watched him. His eyes clouded over again and she noticed that his eyes were happy. That emotion she couldn't place before, the one choking out his words was elation. Never in the last seven years had she seen him in this sort of state.

_Wait a second, this is terrific news! I knew those two would get it together eventually, but why the hell is this blockhead calling it a mistake?!_

She tried to mask the excitement in her voice, as well as the smile that was threatening to burst forth. She had to know the full story before she tackled him with the hug she was preparing for in her mind.

"Gohan, what was the mistake? "

His gaze returned to focus on her again, and his faint smile shifted slightly to a sad one. He considered her for a moment. He cleared his throat, obviously looking for a way to avoid the question as his eyes darted around somewhere off behind her head. She couldn't help it, she smiled and slapped him on the shoulder.

"Come on Gohan! Tell me! You getting a kiss from Videl hardly seems like a 'huge mistake'."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, steeling his nerves as he considered how to say what he was thinking.

"My mistake was… Well… I think I fell in love today."

**A/N: Pow! Heart was pounding in my chest as I was writing the last half of this one out until I finally got that last line written down. Let me know what you guys think =)**


	19. Reunions

***Takes deep breath*, okay this one was a nerve-wracking chapter for me to write. So many things that I could mis-say that I wound up writing it and rewriting it out of nervousness... I hope I did well!**

**Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter, it made me very happy to see the reception it got! Any day I can get someone to call me an "Evil mother fucker" for pulling my audience to the edge of their seats in anticipation is a good day in my book =)**

**Anyways, on to the chapter! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 19: Reunions**

Videl leaned back in her chair, exhausted from the events of the day. What a day it had been. It had started normally enough. She rose early, did her morning ritual of Gohan's workout, katas and meditation. Then there was the lesson, and that oh so amazing kiss. She subconsciously smiled at the memory of it, running a finger along her bottom lip as the feel of his lips against hers resurfaced in her mind. But then there was what followed it. Despite her gentle prodding, he hadn't immediately been forthcoming with what she wanted to know.

But when he did break down and let it out, he had told her a lot. She was still trying to make sense of it. The words jumbled in her head and her thoughts scattered about as she tried to line up all the dots.

_He's been fighting since he was four. Such a young age! Taken from his home, kidnapped by his first mentor. Okay that makes sense, but his first "mentor" was Piccolo? He learned from the Demon King himself and now Piccolo is a good guy? Wait… The green man that dad told me about! That's gotta be Piccolo, it sounds like the right description of him! Then there's this Raditz guy, his uncle? Vegeta, some guy named Nappa, Raditz, and Goku… Aliens? I still can't believe for one second that Vegeta or Goku are aliens; they look human! Though that explains the tail that Goku had at the twenty first and second tournaments… And Gohan is a hybrid. He's only half human._

She ran the thoughts over in her mind again and again, as if she were trying to disprove it by finding any evidence otherwise. He'd called them Saiyans, and the reason that he was so strong was due to his Saiyan side. There was no denying it to herself anymore; there were so many inhuman things he could do that it only made sense for him to not be human. At least not fully human anyways.

'You've fallen for an alien.'

_Half! Half-alien, and I don't know what it is I feel right now._

'Don't deny it to yourself girl, you know there's more than just "liking" there.'

_How could I be sure of that? I mean, he's an alien for Kami's sake. _

'Funny thing is he said he knew Kami personally. Apparently he's an alien too… Look, has he really changed anything since the day you and him made up?'

_Well… no._

'Exactly, he hasn't gone all little-grey-man on you. The only thing that has changed is now you know he's not entirely human.'

She mulled over her thoughts, still unsure of what she felt. She thought back to her actions immediately after he had told her that he was half alien. Those onyx eyes were so full of anxiety and fear that she could feel it radiating off of him. But there was so much for her to think about, and she didn't know what to do. She'd left him there, seated on the grass with only a few short words to him.

"_I have to go… Need to think."_

Shame flooded her as she realized what it probably had done to the young man for her to leave so suddenly like that. They had only been sitting there for a few minutes while the man collected his thoughts, but she knew how momentous it had to have been for him.

_I shouldn't have left him! Damn it girl that was stupid! He probably thinks I hate him now!_

'You don't hate him…'

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, calming her mind just as he had taught her. He was so good at that; calming her. Just his scent was enough to relax her completely, though she hadn't realized it was him at first.

_No. I don't hate him. Far from it. Everything about him; his scent, the way he looks, even his stupid attitude. I can't help but want to be around him all the time._

'Does he know that? You ditched him there in that field, remember? Not the best way to show it.'

She opened her eyes to see her face staring back at her in the mirror across the room. Those cerulean eyes bore back into her with disgust and loathing.

"I have to at least make sure he's okay."

She rushed to her dresser where she had dropped her comm-watch and opened a call before she realized she didn't know how to contact him. She stared blankly at it for a second as it awaited her command. Thinking quickly, she came up with what she was sure would be the next best option and typed away on the mini-screen.

***GOHAN'S ROOM***

"She left then. I don't know what she thought, she just left. I can't say I blame her for wanting to get away like that. It's not every day you find out that someone you know isn't human."

He leaned back against the wall with a heavy sigh, still seated on his bed with Lime next to him cross-legged. The brunette was playing with her auburn hair and chewing her lower lip nervously. She'd listened to the demi's account of what had happened and her thoughts were a mixture of elation and fear. He'd finally kissed a girl, and on top of that he said that he'd fallen for her! She already knew he had it bad for the raven haired crime-fighter, but for him to say that he loves her?

_And then she ran from him._

"I sat there for a long time, thinking about it. That's why I got back so much later; I didn't know what to do after she left… Should I have followed her?"

Lime considered him for a moment, watching his eyes dart around worriedly as he focused on something in his mind.

"No Gohan, you did the right thing. She needs to think about it and come to terms with the fact that your half-saiyan. Speaking of, you didn't tell her that mating with a Saiyan is a one-way road did you?"

He shook his head, still lost in thought.

"No, I don't want to scare her away by making it seem like a trap."

Her cell phone started vibrating in her pocket while he was talking and she absent-mindedly pulled it out and looked at the caller ID. A shock jolted down her spine when she read the words scrolling across the glass screen.

_Videl?! Crap I'd better see what she wants._

"I gotta take this one Gohan, I'll be back."

He focused his eyes on her for a short moment and nodded his head before returning to his thoughts, his expression completely neutral. She hastily got up and got herself out of his room, headed downstairs towards the living room. She hit the accept button and held the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"_Lime? Thank Kami you picked up! It's me, Videl. Listen, I need some help."_

_ Whoa damn she's fired up!_

"Videl calm down and breathe! Tell me what's going on."

She already knew full well what had happened, but she considered that maybe Videl would want to keep what had happened between her and Gohan private. On the other end of the line, she could hear the crime fighter take a deep breath.

_"Sorry about that. Is… Uh is Gohan there? I need to talk to him. It's about… my training."_

_ So then she is trying to keep it secret for now… Oops… Better not let on that Gohan and I have already spoken about it… Hmm one way or another, I think that whatever she is going to say should be said in person. We do have school tomorrow…_

"Actually no I'm not with him right now. He came by earlier looking a little bit put out though. Mind telling me what happened?"

On the other end of the line she could hear a sharp intake of breath.

_"I… I made a mistake today, and I… Well if you see him, tell him I said I'm sorry."_

Excitement coursed through her veins as she figured out what the crime fighter was getting at. The regret in her words made it all too clear that she thought she shouldn't have ran. She couldn't get the smile off her face, but did her best to control her voice and sound neutral.

_Yes! She wants to make up with him for it!_

"Why don't you tell him yourself before school tomorrow? I think he can last the next twelve hours until then."

_"Are you sure? I mean it's kinda important."_

_ Duh it's important! But it's more important that he see your face when you say it! Have you never been in a relationship before? Oh… Wait, no neither of them have…_

"Yea Videl, I'm sure he'll be fine."

Another sigh from the other end, and then silence rang for a few seconds.

_"Alright Lime, thanks. I'll see you tomorrow okay?"_

"Take it easy Videl, and don't worry. Whatever it is, I think he'll definitely forgive you."

_"I hope so. See ya."_

The line went dead and Lime checked to make sure the call had ended, watching the flashing numbers on the screen for a second before hopping up and down excitedly. Finally, after all these years, he had found himself a girl who liked him as more than a friend! She almost laughed out loud at the irony of the situation.

_Who would have thought that the two of them would get together? Besides the fact that her father was the one who took the credit for his deed, they didn't exactly come across as a "good match" when they met. I mean, he did spend the first few weeks of knowing her being a total dick-head. Videl even said she started off hating him! Ha! Damned Saiyans just have to pick the ones who fight back huh?_

***THE FOLLOWING MORNING – OVER SATAN CITY***

_Well this isn't exactly what I had planned… Stupid criminals and their stupid needing to take over the city… Damn I hope Gohan is fine enough this morning to show up. From the sounds of it, these guys are no joke. Taking the capital hall and the Mayor hostage? I'm good, but I don't know if I can take them all on._

Videl growled, glaring at the large building below as she dove towards it in her jet-copter. As she pulled closer to it, she realized with a jolt that the perpetrators were out in the open.

_What in the world? Why haven't the police moved in?_

She settled the 'copter in the street outside the courtyard behind a line of police vehicles. She quickly dismounted and capsulized it before making her way to the line of police barricades where the chief was talking animatedly to someone over the radio.

"I understand. No she just got here actually. O-… Okay I got it. She's not going to like this. Understood. Out."

"What am I not going to like chief?"

Videl raised an eyebrow in silent question and planted her hands firmly on her hips. The aging man removed his hat and ran a hand through his white hair, looking at the girl with a nervous grimace.

"Their demands are for us to give you, Bardock, and your father to them."

"Or?"

"Or they kill the mayor and his staff. Their time limit is ten minutes."

"What?! Who the hell are these guys?"

The chief sighed and put his hat back on before turning towards the criminals with his arms crossed. Videl traced his gaze to one particularly large man who was sitting in a chair at the top of the steps next to the mayor.

"Members of the gangs that you three dealt with in the docks. Thanks to you three, they took a lot of casualties, and these are the combined remnants of the two gangs, including the leader of one called the Red Shark gang. That guy there, his name his Hans. We don't really know much about him besides the fact that he controlled the illegal arms trade in the city, and we have a suspicion that he's a very skilled fighter. There's evidence of his work all over the docks district, though it's only speculation really."

_Well at least this time they have a motive besides "Just because"… But still, ten minutes? Even if we were going to give into those demands, how could they expect us to comply with that?_

Videl sighed and gripped onto the barrier, hopping over it quickly and striding towards the criminals.

"Videl! Where are you going?! You can't seriously be considering giving yourself over to them?"

Videl glared at him over her shoulder, causing him to pale and recoil from the look.

"Of course not chief, I'm trying to stall them. If I have to fight, then I will. If I get captured…?"

_Well let's hope that Gohan gets here before anything like that happens._ If _he decides to show._

She strode confidently forward, and she could hear the scramble of officers behind her as they got into firing positions. She walked through the gates into the walled courtyard and immediately felt the muzzles of multiple weapons pointed in her direction. The large man at the top of the steps smirked and watched her from behind his clasped hands. She took mental notes of where the gangsters were all gathered and focused her attention on Hans. He stood, revealing his massive form as he unfolded from the chair and gestured down towards the mayor who was in a dazed state at gunpoint.

"Ahh Fraulein Satan… You come to give yourself over to ze Red Shark gang ja?"

She flinched slightly with disgust. His thickly accented voice was loaded with malice and she wanted to wipe the smear from his face. She came to a halt before the steps of the building, glaring up at the giant of a man with her arms crossed.

"Not exactly Hans… Let's talk"

He crossed his arms and grinned at her evilly, revealing a pair of gold teeth.

"Nein. I think not little Fraulein."

She glanced left and right, sensing their movement before she saw it. Two gangsters rushed her from their positions a few feet away from her.

_Fools._

She dropped into her stance, waiting for them to make their first moves. The on her right threw caution to the wind and lunged for her with his arms outstretched in an obvious attempt to tackle and restrain her. She sidestepped out of his reach, her movements easy and fluid. She waited for him to pass directly in front of her before hammering him with a quick punch to the temple. The man was unconscious before he hit the ground, skidding to a halt with his face on the pavement.

The second gangster approached a little more cautiously, arms up to protect his head as she settled back into her stance. He shuffled forward, throwing his arms forward in a typical boxing style. She skillfully redirected his punches, just as Gohan had shown her. He over-extended one punch and she took advantage of his unsteady state, flipping herself up and locking her legs around his head before using his own momentum to fling him to the ground and land on her own two feet. The criminal hit the ground head-first with a loud crack that made the police behind her wince.

_Damn, Gohan's training has really made a difference. That was too easy._

"Why that little bitch!"

She turned her attention to the source of the exclamation; a gangster standing off to the side of the Mayor and Hans. He racked the action of his assault rifle and leveled the weapon to point directly at her.

Gohan saw the weapon point at her from his vantage-point above and behind the police formation and growled. He quickly made sure his helmet was still in place and shot forward, his aura exploding around him. He halted abruptly in front of the gangster, back towards the raven haired crime fighter, startling the gun-wielding criminal. He grabbed the barrel of the rifle and with a loud screeching sound of warping metal, bent it back on its owner so that he was looking directly into the muzzle. The gangster cringed and looked between the bore of the rifle and the mirrored visor of the super-hero's helmet.

"I _dare_ you to try and shoot her again. Do you like the current arrangement of your face?"

He growled out the words, pleased with the chill that suddenly settled on the gathered gangsters who stared at him in utter fear.

"Herr Bardock, how nice of you to join us! Do not worry; I will be with you in just a moment."

"Oh, I sincerely doubt that. Videl, if you don't mind?"

He glanced down at the fighter, who was glaring up at the tall gangster with pure loathing. He noted that she was still wearing the weighted clothing and shoes, and had still managed to move faster than before her training began. She crossed her arms and raised her chin with a smirk on her face.

"Let's go big boy, just you and me. I offered you a chance to talk, now you're finished."

"Why you little…!"

_Arrogant ass has no clue what he's getting himself into. Oh well, might as well get rid of these fools while she's doing that._

He turned away from the fight that was about to happen as the tall gangster bolted down the stairs, seething in rage. There were still half a dozen gangsters at the top of the steps, and all of them were armed except the one who was still holding the damaged rifle in shock. He took mental notes of each, immediately concluding that the removing the Mayor was his primary objective.

"Mr. Mayor, do me a favor and shut your eyes?"

The gathered men all looked quizzically between Bardock and the Mayor, who stared at him blankly for a second before slamming his eyes shut. Gohan raised his hands to the sides of his face, fingers extended in the same technique that he had learned from Tien so many years ago.

"SOLAR FLARE!"

The light from the sun shot around him, channeled by his energy and projecting into the eyes of the stunned criminals in a wide beam of white light. The six criminals recoiled from the light, clutching their eyes and screaming in agony. The Mayor cringed and shut his eyes tighter against the light assaulting him, but remained seated on the ground with his arms bound. Gohan burst forth in the confusion of the moment and quickly dispatched the six criminals with light strikes to the side of their necks and cutting off the circulation to their brains. One by one they all collapsed in heaps, one of them rolling down the marble steps with a sickening thud at each landing.

Gohan watched the man roll down the steps with a morbid fascination before he realized he still had work to do. He calmly strode over to the mayor, who was now squirming against his bonds with his eyes still clenched.

"Are you injured?"

The old man flinched at the sound of his voice and recoiled, looking up at him over his shoulder with wide eyes.

"B-Bardock! No, I'm fine. I'm glad you showed up when you did! If you hadn't I would have been… Oh god I'd be-"

"Sir, calm yourself. Are there any others?

He snapped the cheap rope the gangsters had bound him with and the old man rubbed his wrists to get the blood flowing again.

"No, I was the only one in my office besides my Secretary. She got out already though, I saw her with the police. The security detail is gone though; I don't know what they did with them!"

Gohan nodded his acknowledgement and glanced down to where the raven haired crime fighter was. He did a double take and cursed himself for being so careless as to not watch the fight. Somehow the gangster had managed to overpower the young woman and was trying to subdue her with a rear choke. His face was battered and bruised, with blood leaking out the corner of his mouth and his nose, but he wore an infuriated snarl that betrayed no hint of pain. He felt out the energies of the two fighters and immediately realized that the tall foreigner had an immense amount of ki at his disposal for a human, nearly as large as Videls.

Fear and anger boiled in him as he watched her struggle against the arm holding her around the neck. She kicked back and did her best to bash him with her elbows, but to no avail. In a matter of seconds, her strikes lost all of their power and her ki plummeted. The circulation to her brain was choked off by his large muscles, and she fell unconscious before Gohan could intervene.

"Son of a bitch!"

He shot forward, leaving the stairs shattered in a small crater. In that moment the only thing that mattered to him was the girl caught in the grasp of that monster. He landed next to the man, driving his foot into the side of his leg, and felt the femur break. Immediately, the gangster released his hold on the girl and clutched his leg with an agonizing scream. Gohan caught the falling girl and quickly inspected her for permanent damage while the man collapsed backwards, writhing in pain.

As soon as the circulation to her brain restarted, her ki spiked and she began to stir. Gohan sighed in relief and gently laid her down on the grass of the courtyard. Another wail from the huge man caught his attention and rage snapped through his mind, mixing with the concern he felt for the raven haired girl and creating a potent blend that made his blood boil. His mind told him that the man had had enough, but his instincts drove him into a blood-lust as he turned his gaze to the criminal. He strode over to him with a grim determination, his white aura bursting around him as he walked.

"N-No stay away from me!"

He ignored the panicked cries of the gangster as he tried to back away from the enraged Demi-Saiyan.

"No! Stop I'- Gahk!"

Gohan gripped him around the throat, cutting off any words that were about to leave his mouth as well as any chance of him breathing. The gangster's hands shot to his wrist, grabbing on in a vain attempt to remove the offending appendage. Gohan swung him up into the air before him; flailing the man's broken leg around as he held him up above his own head. He was a solid six inches taller than Gohan, but it mattered not to the young Demi. The man's eyes bulged in pain and fear, and Gohan's rage flared. He transformed while still disguised, a golden aura exploding around him as his custom suit contained the golden hair and bulging muscles.

"You _dare _to hurt her? Now you have to deal with me."

He was seeing red now, his blood-lust coursing through his veins like a shot of some drug. He raised his free hand, palm up between the two of them and formed a ki ball in it. The man struggled against the muscular vice that was Gohan's hand, shaking his head and struggling to get a breath. The energy crackled and sparked dangerously, humming like a live wire. Gohan growled deep in the back of his throat, his hand tightening to the point he could feel the spinal column and trachea beginning to crack and collapse.

"G-Gohan…?"

The soft voice cut through his rage like a knife through hot butter. His head snapped slightly to the side and he froze, listening to the faint voice that echoed through his brain. His clouded senses didn't register the tiny set of hands that grasped him around the arm. The tiny voice came again, barely noticeable above the hum of energy in his hand and the pounding of his blood in his ears.

"G-Gohan stop. Don't do it. He's already finished, just let him go."

He snapped his eyes back to the criminal held up before him, not realizing that his hands had already dropped to his sides limply in his now unconscious state. His eyes stared off into nothingness and Gohan could feel his ki diminishing quickly as the life was literally choked out of him. His rage slowly subsided, the bloody haze lifting from his sight and mind.

"It was my fault. You don't need to do this. Not for me."

This time her voice came in clear and firm and he looked down at the hands grasping his arm. The heat from her hands flowed into his tense muscles and he subconsciously relaxed at the contact, releasing the flow of energy into the ball of ki resting in his palm. He dropped his arm and turned his head to look at her out the corner of his visor. She was somehow looking directly at his eyes with a worried frown, though he knew she couldn't actually see through his mask. His rage left him completely as he gazed into her calming blue orbs and his golden aura died out into nothing as he returned to normal. He returned his glare to the criminal still held in the air in front of him and unceremoniously dropped him to the ground where he crumpled in a heap, his head lolling to the side.

Immediately, paramedics and police flooded the scene and began their work. He took a deep breath and turned his head fully to look right at the small woman, who gave him a weak smile before her eyes clouded over and she winced, reaching up to place a hand at the side of her head as a wave of dizziness took her. He quickly grabbed on, steadying her as the dizzy spell took hold, steering her towards the police barricade.

"I'm fine, just let me walk it off."

He hesitated, releasing her shoulders and watching her closely. She cleared her throat and held her head high in an attempt to appear as functional as ever, but only managed to stumble backwards into Gohan's arms when she tried to step forward. He rolled his eyes at her stubbornness and quickly picked her up bridal style with a small "eep".

"You were saying?"

She grumbled but didn't fight him, instead wrapping an arm around his thick neck and allowing him to carry her to the back of an ambulance where a medic quickly checked her over. Gohan stood back and crossed his arms, watching the woman work. He pondered her silently, an awkward silence settling between the two of them.

"How did he get a hold of you?"

She furrowed her brow and shook her head with a scowl.

"My own damn fault… I had him beat, I was too fast for him to hit. But he grabbed onto one of my pigtails and pulled me off balance. It only took that split second. I admit he was good, but I shouldn't have let him get a hold of me like that."

She paused as the medic checked her eyes for any damage, flashing them with a light and then testing her reactions.

"Alright Ms. Satan, I think you should be fine. Just take it easy today, stay hydrated and take some pain meds if you need to. I have to go to the _other_… patients…"

The medic scowled and quickly packed up her medbag, shooting a heated glare at the tall demi-saiyan before dashing off to assist some of her co-workers in stabilizing the gang-leader in his critical condition. Gohan growled and averted his eyes.

_Should have saved you the trouble and disposed of him…_

"Thank you by the way… For not killing him? You don't need any more criminals' blood on your hands than you've already got. He'll suffer more in prison this way."

He considered her for a moment, noting how she refused to meet his gaze. He grunted in response, and the silence settled over them again. Neither knew what to say now, and each was suddenly made aware of how alone they were.

_I wonder if she's still afraid of me for being a Saiyan. She didn't take it as well as I had hoped yesterday. If she doesn't want to be around me anymore I would understand…_

Dread filled him at the very thought of it and he felt a lump form in his throat. He tried to clear it a couple times and took a deep breath, preparing himself to say what was plaguing his mind for the last several hours. But she cut him off abruptly, catching him off guard.

"I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. I know what it took for you to say what you did, and really it does mean the world to me that you chose not to hide it. It doesn't change who you are… me knowing… I shouldn't have run from you like that. I just…"

He watched her closely as she trailed off, inspecting the pattern of rocks in the concrete between her feet hanging out the back of the ambulance. It took a few moments for the words to fully sink in and register, but when they did his stomach did a backflip and the heavy weight on his chest lifted, leaving him feeling like a million Zeni. He smiled behind his mask and extended a hand towards her.

"Don't be sorry, it was a lot for you to hear in one day. Just don't think that it means you don't have to make up for that lesson you cut short yesterday."

That pulled her from her withdrawn state quickly and she beamed up at him. She took his offered hand and stood slowly, rolling her head to stretch her sore neck and gently shaking the dizziness from her mind.

"Fine, but I can only make up for it on one condition."

She crossed her arms and smirked up at him. He tilted his head slightly to the side, silently questioning her through the tinted lens of his helmet. She glanced around to see if anyone was watching before firmly pulling him down to her level and speaking to him in a low tone.

"Get me to school so you can get rid of that ridiculous disguise. Your helmet is in the way."

With that she planted a kiss on the cold surface of the plastic over where his cheek would be. Gohan blushed beneath his disguise, thankful that nobody could see his expression.

***OSH – TWENTY MINUTES LATER***

Erasa looked up excitedly at the sound of the knock on the door. The English teacher paused in her book with an irritated grimace, glaring at the door out the corner of her eyes. She huffed and placed her book on the desk and marched over to the door. Erasa glanced at the two chairs next to her, both vacant this morning.

_Off fighting crime together… Or at least Gohan is. That's what Lime said._

The brunette had arrived seconds before the bell, short on breath. She quickly told the two blondes that Gohan had run off that morning after dropping her at a nearby bus stop. They were nearly half-way through this lesson and there was still no sign of the two black haired fighters.

"Oh, it's just you two. Do I dare ask why you are so tardy?"

Erasa had to stifle a giggle at the look on Gohan's face as he entered the room. Surely Mr. Confidence wasn't flustered and unsure of what to do? Videl on the other hand appeared to be radiating happiness. She stared at the pair of them, marveling at the differences in their behavior to their normal demeanors.

_Kami he's even got a blush! In broad daylight! At school!_

"Sorry about that ma'am, I got stranded out in town and Gohan here helped me out with a ride."

The teacher rolled her eyes and gestured for them to take their seats. Erasa watched them closely, extremely interested in the unusual spring that Videl had in her step as she bound up the stairs to her usual seat. The blonde threw her a silent question with her quizzical glare as the raven haired girl settled herself into her seat. She barely caught the glance that the girl threw towards the tall teen taking his seat on Erasa's other side before she occupied herself with taking her notepad out of her bag with an unusual amount of interest. She glanced towards her other side and noticed that Gohan was behaving strange as well, not even choosing to remove his things from his bag. Instead he just clasped his hands with his elbows propped on the desk and rested his chin on his thumbs to stare off into nothing over his intertwined fingers.

_Okay…? This is weird… What happened…The two of them are acting so weird and they're not looking at each other. And Videl is practically glowing right now… Glowing… Glow… Afterglow? Oh. My. Kami! They didn't!_

Erasa felt her eyes open wide as the thought occurred to her and she leaned in close to her best friend, whispering quietly but allowing her excitement to bleed into her words. She noticed Sharpener and Lime turn their gazes towards her as she spoke, but she didn't care. Anticipation and excitement threatened to bubble over until she got a confirmation one way or another.

"Videl, spill it! You and Gohan…? Did you…? Eh?"

The reaction she got was more than enough confirmation in her mind and the bubble threatened to pop in an explosion of loud squeals and bouncing. The crime fighter turned a brilliant shade of red and turned her wide eyes to look at a very interesting poster on the wall above the chalk board. Lime snorted and covered her mouth as she watched the girl. Erasa switched her excited stare from Gohan to Videl and back again at a rate that would have made anyone besides her dizzy, and her knees were bouncing beneath her desk.

"Oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh! Tell. Me. Everything! How was it? Is he uh… Ya knoooow?"

Gohan groaned exasperatedly and buried his face in the sleeve of his shirt to hide the blush and Videl quickly turned her glare to the bubbly blonde. Lime snickered in the background and Sharpener gazed at Gohan with a quirked eyebrow and a sly sneer.

"Shhh! Shut up Erasa, nothing like that happened! What do you take me for?"

"Deprived? Come on, just a little insight?"

"You know, I'm sitting right here Erasa. Can't the girl talk wait 'til later?"

The muffled pleas of the tall teen only served to fuel the fire, and Videl glared at the back of his head. Erasa quirked her eyebrows with a sly smile and a twinkle in her eye, directed right at her best friend.

"Well he's not denying it."

The demi raised his gaze to glare at her with narrowed eyes before groaning again and firmly planting his face back in the crook of his elbow.

"Women…"

Off to her right, Erasa heard Lime burst into laughter, earning her the unwanted attention of the instructor and every pair of eyes in the class. She clasped her hands over her mouth abruptly and cleared cleared her throat nervously before hiding her face behind her text book, leaving a ringing silence through the classroom. Erasa couldn't pay attention to the class to save her life now. She kept glancing at the two teens on either side of her, excitement radiating off of her.

_Be prepared to spill it, I will find out somehow or another. You can't hide it from me Videl!_

***UNKNOWN LOCATION***

Within the confines of a castle on a planet far from Earth, there were two men deep in conversation. The room was shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from a curtained window, showing the silhouettes of the men. One was extremely large, over double the size of the smaller in the room. But there was no question who was in charge here. The first rang out high and clear, containing a power that defied the understanding of common people of all planets.

"Do you think he is ready?"

The second man spoke, barely containing the strain in his deep gravelly voice. The tall man crossed his arms and glanced downwards, further shadowing his face.

"Does he have a choice?"

"No, not really. He has to be ready. The time is already upon us, and you know as well as I do what is at stake here."

"Yes, but master… Did we have to resort to the sort of underhanded trickery we used in order to accomplish this?"

"You know full well that even I cannot deny some things in this universe, a fact that I still regret to this day. If they believed for a second…"

"I understand master. But what if we made the wrong decision?"

"Then we shall soon find out."

Silence hung over the two men as their job laid before them settled down on their minds. The second voice posed another question, worry still evident in his voice.

"How are we to do this master? Surely they will figure out…"

"No, as long as we do not give away any details, our interference will not be noticed."

"Does he know?"

"No. There are only three, including you and I, who know of our hand in these events. Even North Kai does not understand the happenings around him. The fact that we gave him a body and allowed him to train didn't cause pause with our good Kai."

"Very well master but… What of the boy? We saw his potential that day as well."

"He is still an unknown. But enough of this speculation, it is almost time. Let us make our final preparations."

***TOURNAMENT ISLAND – ONE WEEK LATER***

Gohan sighed and pulled the hood of his disguise over his head, shading his eyes and making him nearly impossible to identify with the aid of the black and green mask pulled up over his mouth and nose. The ramp to the large air-car slowly dropped to the ground below on the hiss of hydraulic pumps. He stood to the side of the doorway and glanced at the gathered party. It was incredible really; the amount of people they had managed to collect for this little event.

The entire Z-gang made an appearance for the first time in a long time. Of course there was his immediate family, including Grandpa Ox and Lime. Then there was the Brief's Family, excluding Bulma's parents. Yamcha made an appearance, though he admitted that he would not be competing due to the fact that he didn't want "his fans to see him get beat to death on international television". Tien and Chiaotzu managed to get some time away from the little emperor's kingdom to the south, and were escorted by a currently Black haired Launch, who was gently clamped to her three–eyed husband's arm. Puar and Oolong were there, along with the ancient turtle hermit, Roshi. The group was completed by the presence of the Chestnut family, including little Marron. They had even managed to get Android 17 out of his solitude to accompany them. The only members that hadn't ridden with them was Piccolo, who he could sense on the island already, the blondes, and Videl.

At the thought of the raven haired crime fighter, Gohan's face cracked into a small smile. The week since she had mad her move had been an interesting one. Of course there were the insinuations of the blondes and Lime constantly driving him and Videl up the wall, but he couldn't let it bother him too much. That first day back at school, the two of them had spoken in the solitude of the wilderness outside the city about what was to be. Ultimately, they had agreed that they should take things slowly due to their inexperience. Deep down he knew what he wanted. His Saiyan instincts demanded it of him. But the question that had been worrying him or years suddenly came into full light.

_Am I willing to put her at risk? Am I prepared for this?_

So he let things be as they were. Their relationship was not public knowledge, contained only in the small group of teenagers. Not even his mother knew how close he had really grown towards the Crime fighter. He knew that eventually it would all come to light, and he would face the music when that time came, as well as his mother's ranting about grandchildren. But as it was now, he was happy with the secretly stolen kisses and quiet moments with the girl. Even her training had taken on a different tone, and under his direction and assistance she had managed to learn to control her flight enough to discard her jet-copter entirely for moving about the city. The only reason she still used it was to keep up appearances. Everything came down to appearances for them.

She and the twins were the biggest things he was looking forward to on this little outing. The prize money didn't matter to him as he would never need it, nor did he care about the glory of the win. It was great to see everyone again, though he still felt uncomfortable in their presence. But for him to be there for his little siblings and Videl was his top priority, so he put up with it. Instantly he reached out with his senses and identified her amongst a crowd surrounding a large red private jet.

_I still hate that she had to ride with Hercule for "appearances"… Though I am glad that Erasa and Sharpener rode with her. She won't have to endure it all alone._

He stepped from the air-car, rolling his shoulders back and stretching his stiff muscles. He directed his gaze to the edge of the tournament grounds, where people were giving a certain seven-foot tall alien a wide berth. Piccolo was wearing his usual scowl and watching them as they passed with his scrutinizing glare, causing many to flinch and avert their eyes. Gohan smirked and strode up to his old master. As he approached, the Namekian uncrossed his arms and extended a hand towards his student.

"My friend, it's good to see you again."

Gohan grasped his hand firmly and clapped his former mentor on the arm, earning a smirk from the Namekian.

"Same to you Piccolo. It's been too long."

"Ah, none of that today. I'm entering as Ma Jr. I don't think it would be wise to advertise that I am the 'demon king' reincarnate."

Gohan quirked an eyebrow at his former mentor and let out a chuckle.

"Ma Jr.? Come on, you can do better than that right?"

"Don't be surprised boy. Namekians are notoriously ungifted when it comes to creativity. Why do you think they have no art."

The two of them turned to glare at Vegeta as he strode past, bag hung carelessly over his shoulder. Piccolo grumbled out something about how saiyans "have no room to talk" as well as something about "stupid monkeys", eliciting a chuckle from his former student.

"Be nice. Remember I'm half-stupid-monkey, and I'll gladly remind you with my boot if you need it."

"Always the gentle one weren't you?"

Soon greetings were made all around, and the demon trio children had climbed up onto the shoulders of their two favorite mountains; Gohan and Yamcha. Gohan had both of his siblings mounted on his shoulders, and Yamcha struggled with a very hyper Trunks as he clung to the baseball players neck in a piggy-back ride. During the time everyone was gathering their things and preparing to head in to the registry, Gohan felt a very the person he was longing to see approach with her two friends.

"Hey guys! Bardock!"

He and the rest of the Z-fighters turned to meet the newcomers as they jogged over to join them. Aboard his shoulders, the two children waved excitedly to the three teenagers, babbling excitedly until Gohan silenced them gently with a shushing noise. He returned his attention to them as they neared and felt his stomach heat up at the sight of his Videl. Immediately he was able to pick her scent out of the plethora of smells assaulting his senses and his mind settled on her and her alone. He felt a hot jolt run down his spine when he noticed that she had cut her hair, reducing it from the long pigtails down to a messy short cut that showed off her defined jaw line and the smooth ivory skin of her slender neck.

She had mentioned she might cut it after the incident with the Gangsters at the city hall, but he hadn't expected it to be so… _Sexy_. He wasn't sure how else to describe the look on her besides that. It fit her tough-girl attitude and exposed her toned neckline, teasing him with the knowledge of what the rest of her looked like beneath her baggy attire. He pushed the image from his mind, remembering that they had agreed to not make a scene in such a public setting, and simply nodded in her direction.

"Miss Videl."

She sent him a playful glare and lightly punched him on the chest before reaching out and accepting Ria into her arms as the girl hopped from her brother's shoulder.

"Cut the 'miss' crap, you're making me sound like a stranger instead of a fellow crime-fighter. Now are you going to introduce me to your friends?"

He rolled his eyes, smirking behind his disguise and turning so that he was out of the way and the three newcomers could be seen. The Chestnuts, Briefs, and Son family members all waved in acknowledgement to them, and Lime made her way over to give them each a hug before hanging on Sharpeners arm and causing him to blush lightly. Gohan gestured towards the three of them, looking at Piccolo, who just happened to be the nearest.

"Some of you may have already met them but guys, this is Sharpener, Erasa, and Videl. You three, this guy here is Ma jr. He'll be competing with us today."

The teenagers looked up at him, slightly unsure of what to say to the giant green man. Videl tossed Gohan a quick glance before stepping and shifting Ria's weight to one arm and extending the other towards the tall man with a smile. He took her hand hesitantly and shook it, surprised at the strength of the girl's ki. She glanced to her left and right quickly before sending him a knowing smile and muttering so quietly so that nobody else could hear her.

"It's great to finally meet you Piccolo. I've been learning from Gohan about you."

She released his hand and re-joined the other teens, leaving the Namekian in a slightly stunned state. He snapped his eyes towards Gohan, who looked quizzically between his former mentor and the crime fighter before shrugging it off and continuing.

"This is Tien Shinhan and his wife Launch. And this is Chiaoutzu, Ruler of the Mifan Empire."

At the mention of royalty, the three teens eyes snapped wide and they all bowed respectfully towards him, turning the little white man's face a brilliant shade of pink. He waved his hands in front of them, willing them to stop.

"Please. Please there is no need for that! Treat me as you would Gohan or Chi Chi, they're royalty too you know…"

The teens righted themselves, beaming at the familiarity in his voice and nodding in agreement. Gohan chuckled and continued down the line of new faces.

"This is Yamcha, an old friend of the family. Sharpener, now you can squeal like the fangirl I know you are."

The blondes face lit up excitedly despite the insult from his friend, and he shot forward to shake the baseball player's hand excitedly. Fortunately for Sharpener's ego, he didn't squeal like a fangirl, instead choosing to babble about how awesome the former fighter was and how much he idolized him while the others just watched on in amusement. Gohan gestured towards the last unknown in the group; a very bored looking Android 17 that stood by his sister watching the introductions.

"And this grumpy guy here is 18's twin brother, 17."

Erasa was immediately by his side, staring up at him with hearts in her eyes. He looked at her sideways with a quizzical glare.

"Hi there cutie! I'm Erasa, with an E!"

He coughed once to clear his throat and looked at Gohan nervously.

_Oh yea, he hasn't had much human interaction recently. Heh this should be interesting._

The bubbly blonde paused a second, frowning slightly before leaning around 17 and looking at his blonde sister.

"You weren't kidding when you said your father wasn't very creative huh? Well at least you two got good looks out of the gene pool!"

That brought forth several laughs at the expense of the sharp-eyed twins' discomfort. Things proceeded in a blur from there, with introductions made and an excited buzz settling in over the group, they turned to make their way towards the tournament grounds and the registry table. They hadn't even made it ten feet before an audible pop and a slight whoosh of air flowed past them from behind and the group halted as a new ki crashed into their senses. The Z-fighters stiffened suddenly, leaving those that couldn't sense ki looking at them quizzically.

_Wait a second. What is _that?!

Videl and Lime both paused to look up at the tall demi, who was staring off into the distance and radiating tension. Lime reached over and attempted to shake the teen out of his state.

"Gohan? Gohan! What's going on what… Oh my…"

Videl traced Lime's wide-eyed gaze and she gasped when she registered what she was seeing. Goten and Ria were looking about at the stunned Z-fighters as they turned to the newcomer. Gohan felt a twitch in his eye, and his veins filled with ice.

_There's no way. How? How could this be?_

He closed his eyes, willing himself to turn and look at the new presence. He turned and took a deep breath, hoping against hope that he was wrong.

_But I can't be, I would know that ki anywhere._

He opened his eyes and felt his senses leave him entirely. His mind went numb and the rest of his body was cut off from him as he gazed upon the man before him, standing there with a very confused smile and scratching the back of his head nervously just like he always used to.

"D-Dad?"

**A/N: Dont hit me! haha next one is in the works already, I just had to cut it off here to keep the chapter length and also to create suspense =P  
**

**Until next time!**


	20. Reunions Pt 2

**Hey guys! I'm sorry about the delay with getting this one up. Between internet issues, losing my documents, and no small amount of writer's block when it came to certain parts, it took a lot longer for me to get this one out in a way that didn't disappoint me. Fair warning, if you don't like getting hit in the feels, this one might not be for you. Even as hard as it was for me to get enough emotion into words for it... Well R&amp;R and let me know how I did! **

**Chapter 20: Reunions Pt. 2**

Silence hovered over the gathered Z-fighters. All eyes were glued on the deceased Saiyan who stood before them, halo glowing a faint gold above his head. He was obviously apprehensive; scratching at that spot on the back of his neck that seemed would never go away. He nervously scanned their faces for a second until his eyes found the one that had captivated him so many years ago. His face lit up into his trademark grin as he looked upon his wife for the first time in seven years.

_Wow, seven years on and she hasn't changed at all!_

He quickly took her in, drinking in the vision that he had longed to see for so long. Her thin figure, complimented by the gentle curve of her hips and waist, the way she grabbed the front of her Kimono in anxiety and the way she had her hair up in a bun. It was all the way he remembered it, and in that moment, she was all that mattered to him. But despite his joy at seeing his wife again, he felt nerves and uncertainty well up in him, and his smile faded into a nervous frown.

_It _has _been seven years since I left, and she's only human. For all I know, she could have found someone else. Kami if only I could have talked to her!_

He took a tentative step forward, dropping his wayward hand to his side from its place at that incessant itch on his neck.

"Hey guys… It's been a while hasn't it?"

His voice seemed to bring his wife out of whatever state of mental numbness she was in, though her expression still matched that of his long-time friends' behind her. She slowly stepped forward from the rest, closing the distance between them down to almost nothing, hand still clutching her Kimono. She seemed unsteady as she looked up into her husband's eyes, searching for something in his expression. As soon as she wandered into his personal space her scent flowed out to him, re-awakening lost desires and sending his heart on overdrive. He willed himself to be calm and inhaled deeply, her sweet scent shooting through his mind like a ki blast.

"Goku?"

Her gentle whisper washed over him, sending a shiver down his spine at the sound of her long forgotten voice.

"Goku, is that really you?"

Complete silence. The sounds of the tournament grounds were shut out to him completely. Her quiet voice was loaded with uncertainty and thick with emotion. His heart jumped as he fully felt their bond re-open, and her shock rushed over it and into him, mixed with a burning passion that slowly began to re-awaken. He noticed with a flush of joy that there was no trace of guilt in his wife's thoughts.

_Then she hasn't found another!_

He smiled warmly at her, still hesitant to do anything just yet. She cautiously reached out, pausing her hand inches from him and biting on her lower lip nervously, tears welling up in her eyes. She extended her hand the rest of the way and gently placed it on his cheek, and let out the shaky breath she had been holding with an expression of pure joy at the contact. Goku gently reached up and enveloped her tiny hand in his, reveling in the sensation of her skin on his agian.

"Yea, Chi. It's me."

The tension and uncertainty between them dissolved into nothing in the blink of an eye. She leaped forward, throwing her arms around his neck and abruptly began sobbing into his shoulder, staggering him backwards slightly as he caught her. He immediately wrapped his arms around her as far as they could, holding her to him in an attempt to put every ounce of his affection he'd held onto over the years into their embrace. If he could halt time in that one second of bliss, he would have been more than happy to ignore everything else in the universe. Finally reunited with the woman he was forced to abandon, he felt once again the love he had lost while in otherworld.

Chi Chi pushed herself away from him, settling her feet on the ground and grabbing both sides of his head. She pulled him down and kissed him, sending a flood of desires through the Saiyan to rediscover his wife. The taste of her lips, the passionate heat that rushed through their bond; it was intoxicating. A tiny voice cut through their moment, reminding them that they were among friends and they reluctantly broke their embrace, smiling at each other with broad grins.

"Mommy, who's that man? Why are you kissing him like Bulma does with Vegeta?"

Goku started, searching around for the source of the little boy's voice that sounded so oddly familiar to him. His wife backed away from him one step and knelt down next to a young boy, and when he saw him a chill of recognition crawled through his veins. The boy was so familiar to him in his little orange and blue gi and spiky black hair, staring up at him with wide skeptical eyes.

My _eyes... It can't be…_

He knelt down before the child, inspecting him closely while Chi Chi grinned at him through her tears, whispering to him just loud enough for the boy to hear.

"Goten, I can't believe I finally get to say this, but this is your father."

_Goten… There's no denying it, he looks exactly like I did at his age! But how? She must have been pregnant before…_

Joy at meeting his son for the first time threatened to overpower him as he beamed down at the small boy. He was staring right back as the knowledge slowly began to sink in.

"Hi there Goten. I'm Goku."

The child partially hid behind his mother when he started to speak, his wide eyes never leaving his father. Chi Chi chuckled through a sob and nudged him forward. Finally, it seemed to click as he looked the tall Saiyan over, and his confused pout turned into a wide grin reminiscent of the man's across from him.

"Daddy!"

With that loud exclamation he rushed forward and into the arms of his father for the first time, throwing his arms around his neck much like his mother had done before him. Chi Chi beamed and glanced around as yet another tiny figure shot around her towards her husband.

"Daddy-it's-you-I-can't-believe-it!"

Goku started and released his youngest son as the little girl sprinted for him, tears flowing from her eyes and a look of pure awe etched on her face.

_No way! A daughter too!_

Before he knew it, the tiny power-houses that were the twins had him firmly captured in their grasps. He laughed heartily, total joy coursing through his veins as he held the two children close to him. Chi Chi joined him as he effortlessly stood, laying a gentle hand on each of the children's backs.

"Goku, these are our twins; Goten and Ria."

Just like that, everything seemed to happen at once, and Goku was suddenly lost in a barrage of excited hugs and claps on the back from all of his long-time friends. There was Bulma, Krillin and Yamcha; the original three. They were followed quickly by Tien and Chiaotzu. Roshi, Oolong, Puar and Launch greeted him with wide grins followed closely by his father-in-law who picked him up into a bone-crushing hug. Somewhere along the way the twins had left his grasp, choosing instead to clutch onto his gi-pants and watch the goings-on. Everyone greeted him, even Vegeta and the two androids who, he was pleased to see, had finally decided on not destroying the world in their mission to avenge Dr. Gero's failure. But there was one person from the group he longed to see nearly as much as his wife. He extended his senses, but the amount of ki pressuring in on him from the group greeting him clouded his sight.

_My son! Where is my son?_

"Where's Gohan? Is he here with you all?"

All at once the air buzzed with tension, defying the silence that came over them and he glanced around, perplexed by the sudden change in mood. Collectively, the Z-fighters looked around for a sign of the tall demi-saiyan. In the excitement of Goku's return, none had noticed his disappearance, not even Piccolo. Chi Chi again grabbed onto the front of her kimono, her eyes wide as she searched for her son in the group of people about them.

"Oh no…"

Goku felt his stomach plummet; resurfacing the fears he had fought with during his time trapped on the Grand Kai's planet.

_This can't be good… _

"Chi, what's wrong? Where is my son?"

She pursed her lips, looking him dead in the eye, and he didn't need to see the tears to feel the dread and worry radiating from her. Her words that followed however cut through his heart like a knife, confirming what he had feared as soon as he made the decision to remove Cell to King Kai's planet.

"Goku, Gohan's… He's not the same as he used to be. He blamed-… blames himself for what happened, though I know he's been trying to hide it. It's been hard on him, and he just… Kami we need to find him!"

He sighed heavily, tension building in his gut as he imagined what was bound to happen when he found his oldest son. He gently pried the twins from his legs and closed his eyes, searching for the Ki he needed to find so desperately.

_Gohan, where are you son? Come on, talk to me… Darn it he's masking his ki! I should have known this would happen!_

"Why would big brother run away from you?"

Goku started at the softly spoken question from Goten, snapping his eyes wide open. He glanced down at the innocent stares of both his younger children wearing the most pitiful looking pouts he had ever seen in his life, and his heart melted entirely. He rustled their hair affectionately, doing his best to hide the tension behind his voice.

"I don't know, but we'll find him. You two should stay with your mother alright? Daddy is going to go find him, I promise."

He furrowed his brow and gave his wife a meaningful look, and she wordlessly acknowledged him with a nod of the head. She grabbed onto the twins' shoulders, and Ria immediately grabbed onto the hem of her Kimono, burying her face in the fabric to dry her tears of anxiety. Goku tore his gaze away from the sight and took a deep breath before setting out to find his wayward son.

***OUTSIDE THE TOURNAMENT ARENA***

_Come on Gohan, where did you go?_

Videl was panting, fighting to get her breath under control as she searched for the tall demi-saiyan. His departure was so sudden, and she had been so caught in the moment as Chi Chi was reunited with Goku that it had taken Lime's panicked shaking of her shoulder to realize he had disappeared. As soon as the four teens had realized his disappearance, they had sprinted after him. Videl, being in such better condition now that Gohan had trained her, was way ahead of the others in her search for him.

She didn't really know what way she was going, rather she was just following her gut. Somehow she knew that she would find him, but it failed to quell the panic growing in her chest. So she sprinted, her mind racing as she searched for him. Soon she was away from all the crowds, and found herself outside the complex, running around the edge of the building where nobody was. She rounded the corner and froze in her tracks.

_Shit!_

He was standing there, hunched over with his forehead against the concrete wall of the structure with his hands balled into fists behind his head. She could feel the tension vibrating the air around him, and noted his breathing was coming in heavy. There was no way for her to see his face, but she could very well imagine what he looked like right now. She took a hesitant step forward and nearly jumped out of her skin when he moved suddenly, throwing his fist forward at chest height and burying it in the structure with a loud crash. She could feel the anger pouring out of him in waves.

A sudden commotion from the direction she had come from caught her attention, and she felt a jolt of fear as the other three finally caught up, panting and looking as panicked as she felt.

_Crap, if Gohan's about to lose it… They need to stay away from him!_

She motioned for them to stop frantically, waving for them to get away. Erasa and Sharpener got the message and turned to head back to the group, leaving Lime to stare at the raven-haired crime fighter nervously. Videl swallowed past the lump in her throat and repeated the unspoken command. She hated telling his oldest friend to run for her own safety, but she worried what would happen if she were there. It was bad enough that she was about to risk her own safety to try and calm the half-saiyan, but if Lime was in the mix and got hurt as well…

_I'm sorry Lime, but this one is for me to risk. _

The brunette frowned, her brow wrinkled in worry as she watched the crime fighter tell her to run for it. But much to Videl's relief she nodded and turned on her heel to chase after the blondes. Videl returned her eyes to the Demi, searching for a sign that she was okay to approach. He had removed his fist from the wall and sank to his knees, his chest heaving with his shaky breathing. Steeling herself against her fear, she quietly approached him. He stiffened when she neared, his breath coming up short as he sensed her directly behind him. She hesitated, unsure of what she was supposed to do.

"Why did it have to be him? Seven years, and he just… Comes back…"

Videl furrowed her brow and cautiously extended her hands to rest on his shoulders. He flinched at the contact, but let it be. She gently lowered herself next to him, trying to look him in the eyes.

"What does it matter Gohan? He's back!"

"Why does it matter?"

He abruptly stood with a feral growl, backing away from her and glaring at her hard through the shade of his hood. She steadied herself against the wall at his sudden movement, righting herself and glaring right back. Her heart was pounding in her chest out of fear, but she knew that she needed to pull all the stops out and get through to him. He was seething, and behind his disguise she could see his hardened eyes glowing teal as he transformed. His aura flashed gold and swirled around him in an inferno as he fought to control himself. Now he was full out yelling at her, his voice quaking with barely restrained emotion.

"I _killed_ him Videl! He put his faith in me and I returned his trust by killing him! Tell me, what am I supposed to do? I can't very well just waltz up to him and pretend that nothing happened!"

Knowing full well the dangerous ground she was treading, she mustered up her courage and closed the distance between them, fighting the gale-force winds tearing at her clothing. She took a deep breath and forced as much confidence into her glare and words as she could.

"Gohan he's your father! You haven't seen him in seven years! You need to speak to him at least!"

She noticed out the corner of her eyes that his hands clenched even tighter, straining the gloves stretched over them to the point that the material ripped over the bulges of his knuckles. He clenched his eyes shut and his aura faded, taking the wind with it. Just like that, his mood shifted, almost imperceptibly. The anger was still there, that much she was certain, but no longer was it directed outwards. She could practically hear him raging at himself internally.

"I… I can't Videl! I can't face him!"

Her heart bled for him, wishing that she could help take away the pain he was writhing in. She closed the gap between them, small as it was, and pursed her lips in anticipation for what she was about to do. She reached up and tugged the hood down behind his head, allowing his hair to spring forth in its white-gold glory. He cracked his eyes to glare at her, and she almost lost herself in the teal pools of dispair. Forcing herself to continue, she ran her hands down the sides of his face, pulling the mask down so that it was hanging around his thick neck against his chest. Her hands found their way back to his cheeks, and her eyes locked with his. She furrowed her brow, trying to force him to see how much she wanted to help him. To show him that he wasn't alone.

"Gohan you have to talk to him."

He scrunched his face, fighting with himself and grasping her wrists. But he didn't pull away from the contact, instead leaning into one of her hands slightly as she cupped his cheek.

"How? What can I say? You saw the halo over his head, he's still dead. I don't know why he's here, but there's nothing I can say… I can't fix it… I can't…"

She felt her heart break at his anguish, and she found herself at a loss for words. It was true, she had seen the halo, and if that meant he was dead…

_But he was standing right there. Dammit!_

She just searched his face for a moment, trying to find the words to say. Giving up her hopeless battle, she did the only thing that she could think of. She pulled herself up to him and kissed him, locking their lips together. It was brief and much gentler than the first they had shared, but no less passionate. In it she poured all of the strength and willpower she could give him by contact alone. He relaxed, letting himself be taken away momentarily by the power of such a simple gesture. His hair faded to black, and when she pulled away to gaze upon him again, his eyes were back to their normal onyx.

"Gohan this isn't something you can run from. You _have _to face this right now or you will forever regret it. This is your chance to bury this once and for all. I beg of you… Take it."

***BACK WITH GOKU***

_There! Wow is that from Gohan?_

His eyes darted off in the direction the sudden burst in ki came from. He was sure of it now, Gohan was no longer inside the compound. He glanced over to where Piccolo was, catching the Namekians eye. They both nodded in recognition and began making their way through the crowds in search of the source. On the opposite side of the tournament arena he could feel the other Z-fighters heading his direction as well. He barely made it to the outer wall before he spotted three teens that all stopped short at the sight of him. Recognition barely registered in his mind as he took in their flushed faces, bee-lining towards them as they panted and glanced at each other nervously. The one with auburn hair nodded to the others and stood straight, stepping forward to intercept him part way.

"Hey you guys, I saw you with the others back outside. I'm sorry I don't have time for introductions right now, is he over there?"

The brunette nodded and fought to catch her breath, hunching over and clutching a stitch in her side. He mumbled his thanks and made to pass her, but she reached out and halted him with a surprising amount of force.

"Wait-… Goku - you might not - want to go to him - right now…"

He furrowed his brow and looked down at the girl, pondering where he had seen her before. He jogged his memory, trying to place the girl in his mind. She stood and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and looked right up at him with those startling emerald eyes.

"I've spent the last few years trying to help him piece his life back together. You showing up right now might have just sent him over the edge! I honestly don't know what's going through his mind right now, but it can't be anything good!"

He narrowed his eyes at her, considering her for a few seconds. The dread in his gut only became more prominent and he looked in the direction he could feel his son's fluctuating ki in, as if trying to see him through the walls that separated them.

"I want to see him. No, I _need _to see him!"

"Goku! He might snap on you if you're not careful! I've seen him kill people when he's still in the right state of mind, much worse when he loses control! Tempting fate when he's like this is not a good idea!"

_Kill? Gohan… That seals it._

He set his brow and gazed at her with a disarming smile, pointing up at the halo above his head.

"I'll tempt it this time I think. After all, I'm already dead, and I can take him elsewhere if need be."

Without a further word, he brushed past her and the other two teenagers, who watched him pass with wide-eyed expressions. As he rounded the corner, he could hear the boy mumble something about him being nuts.

Then, there he was with a short girl who barely came up to chest height on him. She was standing with her back to him, dressed in an overly-baggy pink shirt and white tank-top with bicycle shorts. Her hair was cut short, and she appeared to be speaking to his son, forcing him to focus on her at the moment with how she was holding his face in her hands. His breath caught in his throat as he saw his son for the first time in seven years.

_He's so grown now…_

He was huge, far larger than Goku had ever imagined him becoming. He guessed that the teen now stood an inch or two taller than even him, and judging by the way that armor fit him, he hadn't slacked off on his training in the least over his absence. He noted that his hair was short and still its midnight black color and let out some of his worry in a sigh of relief when he realized his ki had leveled off and became steady.

_Well that's a good start… He's not super. That girl... I wonder if that's her doing._

He glanced around, making sure that none of the other Z-fighters had made an appearance. Despite his current calm demeanor, Goku knew all too well what sort of beast could be unleashed if his son was pushed too far. After all, that was what had ultimately resulted in this situation. He took a deep breath and began making his way towards the two of them, spiking his ki enough to be noticed. Instantly, his son's head snapped up and locked eyes with him with a cold, empty stare the likes of which sent a shiver down the Saiyan's spine. It was in that moment that he noticed the scar decorating his face from forehead to cheek, and the hard set of his jaw.

The black haired girl turned her head to glance at the approaching Saiyan quickly before releasing him and stepping aside with a quick softly spoken word to stand directly behind and to the left of him. He quickly glanced her over as she grabbed onto his son's hand and looked fearfully between the two with a pair of some of the most beautiful azure eyes he'd ever seen. He quickly pushed the thought from his mind, refocusing on his son's eyes as he approached. Stopping a few feet away from him, he returned the glare being sent his way, trying to interpret exactly what was going on behind those cold eyes.

"Gohan… My son…"

He could feel the tension suddenly pull taught between them, and his son's eyes narrowed. At his side, his one free hand clenched and the muscles in his arms rippled. The muscles in his jaw twitched and those eyes reflected so much pain it hurt Goku's chest to watch. The girl at his side grasped onto his son's arm, those blue eyes locking onto the side of his head, and he visibly relaxed. Goku couldn't help but be impressed.

_Wow, how can she tame him just like that? Who is this girl? Surely he hasn't mated already? Has it been that long?_

Gohan averted his eyes, choosing instead to look at the ground in-between his father's feet.

"Father."

The deep voice that rumbled from his son's throat completely caught him off guard. It was strained and choked with uncertain emotions. He took a deep breath, and plunged into the deep end with a small smile on his face and strong hopes to re-open his bond with his first born.

"You've grown… You're even taller than I am now!"

Gohan blinked a few times in surprise before snapping his gaze to the elder Saiyan with incredulity written all over his face. Goku held the stare, letting his suppressed joy to over-run the other emotions that had been plaguing him. Finally, after all this time, he was speaking to his son!

"How can you seem so happy to see me?"

That quickly killed his smile, sending his stomach plummeting back down to somewhere between his feet. He searched his son's face again, trying to understand the meaning behind the question. But being as brutally honest as Goku was, he simply stated the first thing that came to mind.

"I can't be happy to see my own son after seven years? You're a grown man now, and I missed all of it. I can't help but wonder at how you've changed!"

Gohan's eyes again dropped, refusing to meet his father's as he spoke. Goku could practically feel the shame being radiated from him.

"No, father. I mean how can you just… speak to me like nothing has happened?"

An awkward silence settled in the air, and neither of them could find the words to fill it. Goku pondered his son for a moment, realizing just how much his death had affected the boy. No more was the child he had trained with for those years before Cell. No more was the frightened little boy that he had to push so hard to achieve super saiyan. In his place was this broken and battered man, barely clinging onto the remnants of what his son used to be. Immediately his eyes were drawn to the scar stretched across his eye, and he spoke.

_Just what has he been through since I left?_

"Then tell me Gohan. What's happened? For starters, how did you get that?"

Gohan's eyes met his yet again for a short moment before they returned to their inspection of the grass. His hand absently traced the line of the scar down his cheek as his eyes unfocused. The raven haired girl gripped his arm firmly, giving the Saiyan a look that told him that said she wanted to know as well. Goku watched closely as his eyes darted around in tiny movements, reliving some part of his past in his mind.

"I found out about the twins. Two weeks after… After Cell… I panicked and ran from mom. I tried to kill myself by self-destruction, but I couldn't do it… My conscience wouldn't let me take the easy way out. I ended up crashing into a forest, and instead of having Dende heal it, I left the scar to remind me of my mistake."

Goku felt a cold chill spread from somewhere deep in the pit of his stomach to the tips of his fingers and back again. It was unfathomable to him that his own son, the same child who had always seemed so cheery, had been driven to the point of suicide. He could only stare at the boy, and noticed that the raven-haired girl next to him had a mortified expression that must have mirrored his own.

"But why? Gohan the twins! Your mother, why would you run from th-"

"Because of you!"

The young man's pained roar felt like a punch from Freeza to his gut. The demi's hands clenched into fists and he stepped forward, leaving the startled girl to watch after him with wide eyes. His face formed into a snarl, baring his teeth at his father. Gohan's hands lunged forward to grip the front of his father's gi. Goku couldn't move out of shock as his own son advanced on him, twisting the material of his uniform in his gloved hands and snarling down menacingly at him.

"Me?"

The growl that formed in the back of his son's throat rumbled out to him, rattling his very soul.

"You. You left me! You left mom! You left your unborn children! You died, just like that. And I?... I…"

His demeanor changed suddenly. Goku watched as the snarl slowly dropped from his face, to be replaced by an agonized grimace. The demi's eyes glossed over rapidly, and he slammed his eyes shut, refusing to let his father see the tears that were threatening to come forth. The grip on his gi lessened ever so slightly before Gohan shoved him away, staggering the Saiyan back a few steps. Gohan held his hands before him, glaring at them and mumbling out barely audible words that were all too clear in the older Saiyan's head.

"I… It was my fault. I killed you. I killed my own father and left my brother and sister fatherless. I left my mother a widow."

_So much rode on his shoulders that day. Far more than any eleven year old should ever have. And he's been carrying this since then? He's not the one to blame here, I am! I was the one who put him there in the first place!_

His thoughts were interrupted as his son dropped to his knees heavily, settling back on his heels with his hands in his lap. He wasn't even attempting to stem the flow of tears anymore and they were flowing freely down his cheeks as he glared at the ground between them.

"It's my fault father. I did this to you, and I never even got to say... I'm sorry."

As Goku watched the young man, he immediately thought of the young child standing before him so timidly the day that Vegeta and Nappa had come, apologizing for his failure to act. He was no longer the giant, overbearing person he had been only seconds ago. All Goku could see was those same sorrowful eyes staring back up at him, shame evident in every line of his face.

Just as it had done that day, so many years ago, his heart melted in his chest. He would have gone to any length, even suffered through death itself yet again to make it better for his son, if it would help take away the anguish torturing him so. He stepped right in front of his son at arms-length and squatted back on his haunches, settling his forearms on his knees and looking him right in the face.

"Gohan, you have nothing to apologize for! You couldn't have known what was going to happen, neither could I. You never should have had to shoulder that responsibility in the first place, and it was wrong for me to have left everything for you to deal with alone."

Goku extended one hand, grasping his shoulder. The teen flinched at the contact and Goku could feel a shiver rack his body as he tried to pull away from it, clenching his eyes shut. But Goku held firm. Gohan's ragged breathing rang loud in his ears as he struggled to form words.

"But you did, and I failed you. I had the ability to do it right and I failed!"

His head bowed forward, and Goku realized just how deep his self-hatred must have been held within him. He searched for the words to say that would allow his son to unburden the weight on his chest. He glanced up and noticed the short girl looking directly at him, glossed over eyes burning right into his. She mouthed the words "forgive him, he needs you to forgive him" with a nod towards the distraught demi-saiyan. The elder Saiyan furrowed his brow and looked back to his son who was still refusing to meet his gaze.

_Forgive… There's nothing to forgive him for! He stepped into my shoes when I left, helping his mother raise the twins and Kami knows what else since I've been gone. But if it will help…_

He took a deep breath and formed what he needed to say in his mind, hesitating slightly before he began to glance back at the girl again. She nodded, her face set and her lips pursed in a serious scowl. Goku squeezed his son's shoulder, pushing him back slightly so that his eyes were no longer down-cast and he could look into his son's face.

"Gohan none of us are perfect, neither is this world we live in. We all made mistakes that day, and we all wish it had turned out better. This is not your responsibility to shoulder alone son. But…"

He paused, lifting Gohan's chin and catching his icy gaze in his own. He looked past the scar. He looked past the cold dead look in his son's eyes. Behind all of his outward appearances, he could see those same eyes that had stared up at him on so many occasions with apprehension and hope. That same burning desire for his father's approval still resided in them, and Goku smiled.

"For what it's worth son… I forgive you."

Just like that, with those three words, the tension snapped completely. A fire lit behind the eyes of his son, and he gripped onto the older Saiyans forearm firmly. For a moment, Goku worried that his son was going to react poorly to the words. But that was washed away as soon as he was pulled roughly into a hug by the demi. Their embrace said a million things that even the most eloquent words could not convey, and Goku couldn't help himself; He beamed his brightest smile, joy bursting forth from him in waves. He looked towards the girl to find her smiling warmly at him, and mouthed "thanks" to her. She simply nodded and watched the two of them, hugging herself nervously.

"Goku Son?"

The three started and looked towards the source of the high voice that rang through the silence that had settled so peacefully over the scene. Goku was even more startled though by the appearance of the man who had spoken and the second man – no, giant – that accompanied him. The speaker was short, probably as short as Krillin were they to be put side-by-side, and had a faint purple tone to his skin. His hair was white and poofed up into a Mohawk. His companion was even taller than piccolo, and at least twice as broad. His complexion was bright pink in color, and he had long hair that flowed down his back of the same color as the short mans. They were both dressed in an unusual garb resembling a cross between a traditional kimono and the clothing Broly had worn on new Vegeta, and a set of dangling earrings from each ear.

And both of them looked dangerous. Their expressions showed no outward signs of emotion, and Goku had a sinking feeling in his gut.

_King Kai said that I would have to find two people named Shin and Kibito once I got here, though he didn't even know what they were supposed to look like. Is this them? They certainly don't look like earthlings._

He stood, assisting his son to stand and gave him a look that said they would talk later. Gohan had recomposed his face, showing no sign of his distress minutes before other than the faint streaks on his cheeks. Ignoring the dangerous glint that momentarily sparked in his son's eyes, he turned to face the newcomers. In his peripherals he could sense the other Z-fighters moving in towards the two unusual ki that radiated from them.

"Yea I'm Goku. Though I don't think we've met before…"

The purple man nodded with a smirk that didn't fit him at all. The sharp lines of his face gave him a sinister look that stirred Goku's stomach slightly.

"Ah, but how rude of me, of course. My name is Shin, and this is my assistant Kibito."

_So it is them. Wow, they aren't anything like I was expecting. And that ki? Why can't I seem to see it like I can with the others? It's so strange… Alien…_

"Dad, you know these guys?"

The deep rumble of his son's voice rolled out to him in undertones from right behind him, and he barely caught the dangerous tone of his question. He was surprised at how quickly his son had snapped back into the warrior mindset, almost like a switch had been flipped. He turned his head without taking his eyes off of the smirking man.

"No, but King Kai said I needed to find them when I got here."

At the mention of the Kai, he heard his son's breath catch and the air took on a tense buzz.

"Are you sure about this dad? The Kais-"

"It's alright Gohan. I wouldn't have been sent here for no reason, let's just hope that these two know what that reason is."

A rough grunt emanated from the demi-saiyan, and a rustle of clothing could be heard as he crossed his arms. Goku turned his attention solely back to Shin.

"Alright Shin, you've found me. Now what's going on here? Why have I been brought back to Earth? I mean, I'm not one to complain, but…"

The short man's smirk deepened, stalling any further comment that the Saiyan had.

"Ah, all in due time my good man. You will know when you are needed. Right now however, I believe that the registration for this – tournament is it? – shall be closing soon, and I would very much like the opportunity to face you in the ring."

_A challenge? You've got to be kidding me! Is this what I was brought back for? Maybe all that training I was being put through in otherworld was for this? But that doesn't make sense…_

"Well okay… If you say so."

"Excellent. Now, do not mind my presence here Goku, we will not interfere with your time here, limited as it is."

"Limited? How much time do I have?"

Shock momentarily shot into the purple man's expression, and he glanced up towards his assistant.

"I thought you would have been told already… You only have as long as we shall be here, which may only be for the duration of this tournament."

_One day! Darn I was hoping to get to stay longer!_

"But until then Goku, you are free to do what you will here. I know it has been a long while for you. Just don't forget that we will need you later."

With that, Shin took a short bow directed at the Saiyans and turned on his heel to walk back into the tournament arena. Kibito continued to glare at them for a moment longer before he too turned and left them in complete silence. Within seconds of their departure, they were joined by Krillin, Vegeta, Tien, and Piccolo. All but the tall Namekian glared after the two retreating figures until they disappeared, while Piccolo appeared to be lost in thought about something. Gohan stepped up to stand shoulder to shoulder with his father, glaring after them.

"I don't like it, something is very wrong with those two. I couldn't sense their ki, at least not like normal."

"Why does it matter? They cannot defeat a Saiyan in battle! What did they want Kakarot?"

Goku settled his gaze upon the Saiyan Prince, considering what he would tell them.

"I don't know what they want guys. Shoot, honestly I don't even know why I got sent back. All I know is that they're my 'escorts' that King Kai told me to find when I got here. Other than that, the short one asked me to enter the tournament. He also said that I'll only be here as long as they are... Which might just be today."

All eyes fell upon him at the revelation. Krillin was the first to find his voice, his eyes watering slightly.

"But Goku, you just got back!"

"I know…"

An uncomfortable silence settled over the group, eyes down-cast. Goku mused about what he should do with his time, seeing as he had very little of it to spend with his family. His priority right then was to repair the damage done by his untimely departure as much as possible, starting with his son. His musings were interrupted by the gruff voice of the Saiyan Prince however.

"Well I for one, am not going to waste this opportunity to fight you again Kakarot! We will fight, and I will prove I am the stronger!"

Somehow that broke the tension among the group, and all present laughed at the Saiyan's antics except for Gohan and Piccolo. Both were still lost in thought and not paying attention to the conversation. Suddenly, the air was rent with a dull roar, stunning them all into silence and even catching Piccolo and Gohan's attention. Goku laughed sheepishly and scratched that incessant itch at the back of his neck that only seemed to appear when he was nervous.

"Well, that's fine and all Veggie… But can we eat first?"

"Hmph… You're on Kakarot!"

With that, the group dispersed towards the arena. Gohan remained behind, waving on the others with a distant look in his eye. Goku hesitated, wanting to stay with his son even more than he wanted to stuff his face. But Piccolo gently grabbed his shoulder and steered him away from the demi, knowing full well that the young man needed some time. Shortly, only Gohan and Videl were left to look after them. Videl turned her gaze up towards the tall demi.

"Gohan? Are you alright?"

He shifted his eyes to meet her gaze and gave her a weak smile.

"Honestly? No."

A short silence settled between them, in which Videl wrung her hands nervously while worriedly watching him.

"But you were right. I can't run from it anymore… I'll be alright later… Thanks."

He reached over and took one of her hands into his, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm more worried about you actually. You just saw a dead man walking around and talking."

She chuckled and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Let's see, in the last week alone I've discovered that we aren't alone in the universe, and that you're half alien. Before that I learned that humans can fly, shoot light from their hands, and discovered that you were the one who killed Cell. On top of that you tell me you know Kami on a first name basis. Quite honestly, I don't think there's anything you could tell me that would surprise me anymore."

"Oh I think there are a few things that might surprise you yet."

"Such as?"

"I'll tell you some other time. I think you can learn about the rest of my past, but there's too much for me to cover all at once."

A silence settled between them again, only to be broken by a rumble distinctly resembling that which had emanated from Goku's moments earlier. Videl rolled her eyes and shook her head, and stepped up to quickly peck him on the cheek.

"Come on then Bardock. Let's not keep your stomach waiting either; I don't think your mother would appreciate it if I let you starve out here. Besides, you still need to introduce me to your father."

She pulled his hood back up over his hair, casting his face in a shadow. He took a deep breath and watched her as she pulled back and walked off in the same direction as the others, beckoning him to follow. His gaze fell to the grass as his thoughts collected in his mind, replaying everything that had just happened. He reached up and replaced the mask over his mouth and nose, and followed after her.

_Possibly one day. That's all I have. I have to do it right this time. I'll make my mistake up to you somehow father. I owe it to you... to everyone. For starters, I think I'll keep an eye on those two… Shin and Kibito was it? I'll be watching you two…_

**A/N: Again, sorry about the delay! The next one shouldn't take that long to put up, I swear! You guys have fun!**


	21. Preliminaries

**Hey guys! Here you go, the start of the tournament! This was a much easier chapter to write, as it's a lot lighter on the whole "right in the feels" department. Anyways, the next chapter is already being worked on so you can probably expect it in just a couple days =). Thanks for all the reviews, seriously, they just help me keep wanting to write this all down! There's an easter-egg of sorts in this chapter, and when you find it you'll definitely know... Don't hate me for it, I couldn't resist! **

**Quick A/N: Before you go on to the story, I just wanted to point out that they are at the 26****th**** tournament in this story, not the 25****th****. After all, the time gap between tournaments was three years in the Dragon-ball series, and even with a 10 year hiatus to rebuild and reorganize, there's still almost another 10 years in there where only one tournament happened in DBZ… I thought that was silly, so I made a second one. The last one happened five years before, and the 24****th**** five before that. Just for the reference.**

**Anyways, on to the story! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 21: Preliminaries**

"Wow no way! It's you guys!"

The Z-fighters paused, turning towards the excited voice calling out to them. Those that had fought in previous tournaments found themselves being hailed by the tournament announcer, now in his late forties judging by the lines on his face and the thick blonde mustache that matched his receding hair. He waved excitedly, pushing his sunglasses up further on his face and rushing over to meet them.

"I can't believe it! Goku! Tien! Krillin! You're all here! And with some new faces I see. Wow, it's been so long, I thought you'd never come back to compete again! These things just haven't been the same without you. How've you all been?"

He grasped Goku's hand firmly in a warm handshake, beaming around at them all. Goku laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, you know… I've just been busy; Started a family and... Well I kinda died. I'm just back for today."

He pointed up at the halo floating above his head. The announcer seemed lost for words as he looked up at the halo incredulously. Seeming to make up his mind about something, he shook his head and beamed at the tall Saiyan.

"Well after all the crazy things I've seen you do, I won't start doubting you now!"

The announcer looked around him at the other faces, acknowledging the ones he knew and politely nodding to the ones that he didn't. He glanced down and noticed that there were four children in the group; two that looked like they were brother and sister, then the Lavender haired kid and the little blonde girl. He beamed down at them.

"I take it that these little ones are a part of that family? Are you guys going to be competing as well?"

The little girl just stared up at him with wide eyes and a finger stuck in her mouth. Krillin patted her head and smiled warmly at her.

"Nope, not this one. Those three however…"

The two midnight haired children and the Lavender haired kid all nodded, and he ruffled their hair affectionately.

"Outstanding! You know, Krillin and Goku were the youngest fighters in the tournament before there was a junior division! If I know your guys' types, you'll put on a good show for sure! Speaking of shows…"

He glanced around quickly and leaned in to speak in low tones to the group.

"I know that was you guys at the Cell games, and I don't buy that story that Mr. Satan gave us. Tell me, it was really you all wasn't it?"

Most of the Z-fighters smiled knowingly at him, but Goku furrowed his brow in confusion, glancing in the direction of another easily recognizable figure that was making his way towards them, flanked by one Videl Satan. The announcer stood up straight, seemingly in awe of the masked super-hero and Satan City's crime fighting heroine. He returned his attention quickly to the Z-fighters, waving them towards the registration desk. He didn't appear to comprehend that Goku had just unintentionally told him exactly who had killed Cell.

"Fantastic! Bardock and Videl made it. If you all would please make your way to the registration table, we'll get this under-way! Unfortunately old rules still apply, and the guests won't be able to watch the prelims, but you can enter the waiting area with the fighters. I can't wait to see you guys in the ring! And let's try not to destroy this one?"

Without another word to the group, he turned and quickly made his way towards the heroes of Satan City, leaving Goku to watch after him with a curious expression. The tall Saiyan turned his quizzical stare towards the prince of Saiyans, who was watching the announcer with his usual glare.

"Mr. Satan's story... Bardock... What's he talking about?"

"Bardock is the name of your son's alter-ego. For some reason he feels the need to hide his abilities behind a mask. The world doesn't know that he defeated Cell. They all believe it was that oaf Satan."

Goku sighed and crossed his arms, watching his son as he was waved down by the announcer.

"Man, a lot's happened… I can't believe I missed all of it."

Chi Chi grasped his arm, leaning into him and giving him a reassuring smile.

"Come on sweetie, let's get everyone registered and then we can fill you in over some breakfast! I hear that fighters have an all-you-can-eat buffet set out for them."

At the mention of food, his face lit up and the group made their way into the tournament grounds. Goku seemed to lose himself in thought for a second before glancing back down towards the little pig-tailed blonde girl skipping next to Krillin.

"Hey, uh Krillin? I know it's been a while but, is that your daughter?"

The short fighter smiled down at the little girl and picked her up, cradling her with one arm.

"Yup! This is my little Marron!"

"Wow, that's great! But… um who's her mother?"

"I am."

Goku glanced over his shoulder at the firm voice that sounded right behind and to the right of him. Android 18 was giving him her ever-present icy glare, no emotion evident on her face. Goku's jaw dropped and he looked to his friend with wide eyes.

"Android 18? But how?"

Before the short fighter could respond, the android deadpanned at him.

"Do you want to know how the act-of went, or should I spare you the details?"

Krillin coughed and sent his wife a nervous look.

"Let's not go there babe. She's still human Goku, so you can ignore the whole Android bit. 18 and I got married about five years ago, and Marron here came to us a year after. Simple as that."

Goku nodded, returning his gaze towards the front, still slightly stunned by this new information.

"Yea, simple..."

***BACK WITH GOHAN***

The two crime fighters followed them at a distance, and were quickly intercepted by Lime and the blondes. Erasa made a bee-line for the tall demi-saiyan, crushing him in a back-breaking hug and staggering him slightly, babbling about how worried she was about him. Lime quickly pulled Videl to the side while Gohan was distracted and trying to console the blonde girl.

"Okay, now what happened? I half expected this entire block to go up in smoke for a second there. What did you do?"

Videl blinked a few times, thinking about what had just transpired as she pieced it together in her mind. Thinking back, she wasn't positive why she did what she did, or even why it worked. He'd been scaring the life out of her and she had still somehow managed to talk him down.

"Well, to be honest with you I'm not exactly sure what it was I said that got him to calm down. I mean he went super and all that, I kinda scolded him a bit, and then told him he couldn't run from it. I don't really know how, but it worked. He and his dad talked, and Goku forgave him."

Lime cocked an eyebrow at her, her mouth slightly agape.

"Let me get this straight… You, a normal human girl, yelled at a pissed off super-saiyan?"

"Well… yea I kinda had to… it was windy."

"And that worked?"

Videl just nodded, blushing slightly when she realized how reckless it sounded when it was put that way. Lime stood there a moment, just staring at the raven haired girl before breaking out into laughter. Gohan managed to wiggle his way out of Erasa's hug and looked towards the brunette, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"And _what _is so funny Lime?"

The girl only laughed harder, leaning on Videl for support as her sides shook with mirth. The crime fighter watched her with a quizzical glare and held onto her as she tried to recover enough to talk. Lime wiped a tear from her eye and met Gohan's gaze with a twinkle in her eye.

"You – haha – you Saiyans! – hahahaha – Vegeta and you – haha – I just realized – hmmphfff!"

She tried unsuccessfully to suppress her laughter behind her hand, biting her knuckle at the glare the two black haired teens sent her way.

"Realized what?"

"You monkey boys are so _whipped! _HAHAHAHAHA!"

Both the black haired teens blushed furiously, to the point that even Gohan's face could be seen turning red behind his mask, and the two blondes shared a quizzical look.

"Monkey boy?"

"Saiyan? What's a Saiyan?"

Videl pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to hide her blush behind her hand. She abruptly let go of the brunette at her side, allowing her to fall onto her back where she continued laughing and earning a snicker out of Sharpener.

"Ask again later Erasa."

A pause came over the conversation and the four of them watched Lime unsuccessfully tried to fight her fit of laughter. It was contagious, and soon enough the two blondes were laughing right along with her, albeit not as hysterically. Videl crossed her arms and looked away from them, instead choosing to stare at a rather interesting pillar a few feet away from them. Sharpener elbowed Gohan lightly in the side, catching his attention. He raised an eyebrow and made a whipping motion with one of his hands while making a cracking noise with his mouth. Gohan just grunted and rolled his eyes before striding over to where Lime was laying. He quickly picked her up bridal style and set her on her unsteady feet.

"Very funny Lime. Just don't say that around Vegeta, he might not take it as gracefully as I can."

"Pffft! All I'd have to do is get Bulma on him with her pan!"

The tall demi sighed heavily and rolled his eyes as she broke out into a fresh bout of laughter. Now, even Videl had joined her, giggling at the mental image of the Blue-haired genius bossing around the short man and smacking him over the head with a frying pan.

"Lime, she doesn't use a pan… That's mom."

"Heehee true! Shoot I don't know how many times I've seen you get hit with-…"

She gasped suddenly, eyes shooting wide as she stared at him. He quirked an eyebrow at her, shifting his weight nervously as her shock faded into a devious sneer. She craned her neck to the side and looked right at Videl, who blinked a few times in surprise at the change in demeanor.

"Before I forget… We need to get you a frying pan."

Gohan groaned and rolled his eyes sky-wards in a glare directed at the lookout as the others started laughing anew.

"I hate you…"

***WAITING AREA – 10 MINUTES LATER***

"Wow really? Broly huh?"

Gohan nodded towards the older Saiyan, sitting with his back to a wall and watching the crowds beyond the breakfast tables where they were all seated and waiting for the tournament to begin. Goku had an enormous mound of food before him, as did Vegeta, and both Saiyans were digging in at inhuman rates. The only ones present who seemed even remotely surprised were the blondes, who hadn't seen anyone with an appetite that large besides Gohan, and his didn't even come close to a full blooded saiyans. The gang watched as plate after plate disappeared into the abyss and listened to the conversation going on, occasionally pitching in during the story in an attempt to fill-in the dead Saiyan. For many of them, this was the first time they had really gotten anything out of the eldest demi-saiyan about the fight with the Legendary Super Saiyan, and they listened with rapt attention.

"Man I thought we had seen the last of that guy on new Vegeta."

Off at the other end of the table, Vegeta grunted through his mouthful of food, swallowing quickly.

"As did I. However he managed to survive what you did to him there, the brat here finished him after he attacked the other brats and the brown haired girl there."

Goku paused momentarily to glance over at the girl, who gave a small smile and shrugged. He swallowed his food and considered her again, cocking his head to the side.

"I swear I've seen you before. We've met haven't we?"

Ria answered for her, bouncing happily on her older brother's knee next to Goten and grinning at her adopted sister.

"She's Lime! She's been our sister our whole lives! But she doesn't live with us, she lives in a village over in the forest."

Goku smiled, his memory finally clicking into place.

"Oh I remember! That village with the dome that Gohan blasted! You were the little girl he rescued from the river right? And your grandfather is Mr. Lao!"

"Yea that's right. He is still running his shop in town, but I've been living at Capsule Corporation with Bulma so I can attend high school with Gohan."

"High… School? Huh?"

The three teenagers besides Gohan and Lime stared at him incredulously, causing him to laugh sheepishly and scratch the back of his neck. Chi chi giggled and rubbed his shoulder affectionately, gazing between the three newcomers with a small smile.

"Goku didn't have any formal schooling when he was growing up like I did. Goku, dear, I asked our son to go to High school so that he could make friends his age. Speaking of, you still need to introduce them Gohan!"

Gohan started, emerging from his focused state as he watched a group of contestants pass by. He cleared his throat and glanced over at the three teens, who looked at him expectantly.

"Well, guys you already know this is my dad. Dad, this is Sharpener, Erasa, and Videl."

He looked them over quickly, filing away their faces with their names with a grin plastered on his face. He noted that the two blondes seemed to be in a slight state of shock, evident in their paled expressions and distant gazes.

_They seem pretty out of it. Doesn't look like they know too much about Gohan like Lime does. The other one though…_

He couldn't help remembering how well she had been able to calm his son down earlier and his thoughts immediately afterwards. But now, they seemed to be holding themselves apart like they were just friends. She didn't seem to be as shocked about the story of Broly, or the fact that Gohan had "blasted" a dome. She just watched the conversation, drinking in every word and watching every gesture with those bright blue eyes of hers. He quickly inspected her ki and was surprised to find the amount of energy at her disposal. Sure, she wasn't anywhere near the level of any of the Z fighters, but she certainly was way stronger than an average human. His thoughts were interrupted by the loudspeakers over their table, screeching with feedback and causing the Saiyans and Piccolo to clamp their hands down over their ears.

"_All adult contestants please report to the preliminary courtyard. All youth division contestants please report to the staging area for their fight assignments. Ladies and Gentlemen the tournament shall begin shortly. A reminder: No spectators are allowed in the preliminary courtyard until after the matches have been determined."_

An excited cheer went up all around the tournament complex and the fighters gathered in the waiting area began to make their way through the gates into the courtyard in question. The Z-fighters stood and began making their way towards the doors as well, waving their farewells to their friends and family who would be cheering from the stands. The three children had disappeared into the crowd as soon as the announcement came over the loudspeakers.

Gohan glanced at his father and locked eyes with him, and the two shared a serious look.

"Well son, shall we go do this?"

The tall demi nodded, immediately setting his eyes upon the tall pink form of Kibito parting the crowd before him as he entered the preliminary area. Goku traced his gaze and clapped his son on the shoulder, giving him a warm smile.

"Relax Gohan, and let's have some fun with this one huh? It's been nearly twenty years since my last tournament, and I get the feeling this is going to be a memorable one."

_Yea, the one where you disappear again right after it's over. Why do I get the feeling that something is going to go horribly wrong today? _

Gohan grunted and followed him in with Videl by his side, carefully watching the other contestants as they wandered in. The group gathered together in the middle of the large courtyard which hosted eight open rings in two rows on either side. A monk stepped up onto one of the rings and waved his hand in the air to get the attention of the huge crowd gathered before him, and spoke into a microphone.

"Good morning fighters, and welcome to the twenty-sixth world martial arts tournament! As many of you may have noticed, there are quite a few people who have entered this tournament today. Two hundred and sixty-three to be exact. Now, there are only sixteen slots open for the tournament itself, so we need to narrow down the competition by noon. Due to the large number of contestants this year, we have decided to alter the selection process to expedite the preliminaries."

He waved off in the direction of an open-staging area where three more monks were gathered around a large black weighted machine with a red bumper on it.

"First we will narrow down the competition with a strength contest. The top sixty-four scores will advance to the preliminary bracket to determine who will be fighting in the tournament."

The fighters all looked to the machine, and Krillin scratched his head with a confused expression.

"Strength contest? That's new."

Videl crossed her arms and glowered at the machine.

"My dad's idea no doubt. Raw strength has always been his go-to attribute, and he practically runs this show now."

Goku quirked an eyebrow, scratching at the back of his neck and considering her with a sideways glance.

"Sorry, but who's your father?"

She glared even harder at the machine, refusing to meet his gaze. Gohan noted the tension in her muscles and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, looking over her head at his father.

"It's okay Videl, he won't care."

She glanced out the corner of her eye at him and sighed. She straightened herself and took a deep breath.

"My father is Hercule Satan. That guy who -… fought cell before you? If you could call it fighting."

Goku blinked in surprise a couple times, searching her face for any resemblance.

"_You're _Hercule's Daughter? Wow, gotta say, you don't look anything like him! You're way stronger than him too, I can tell."

She smiled bashfully and reached up to grasp Gohan's hand that was still planted on her shoulder, returning her attention to the announcer. Again he wondered if they were mated, and subtly glanced at her neckline out the corner of his eye.

_Well I don't see a mark… They just seem that close though. I wonder if Chi Chi has picked up on this yet._

"Now if you would all please get in line to try your hand at the machine, we will begin! Please, as you go through, remember what number you are assigned when they call out your score! To give us a benchmark score, we invite the previous champion of the last two tournaments, and the savior of the world; Mr. Satan!"

The vast majority of the crowd broke out into cheers, excluding a small group of our favorite heroes, as Hercule strode over from a side-door that led to the private boxes overlooking the ring with a confident smirk on his face. He stepped up to the machine and faced the crowd, removing his cape and belt as he went. An assistant came to relieve him of the items and he scanned the faces in the crowd. His eyes met with Gohan's for a brief second, and Goku swore he saw the man cringe at the sight of his son. Without further ado, the fighter squared off against the machine, fist clenched at his side and a glare on his face. With a loud roar he lunged forward, driving his fist into the machine with a resounding thud.

"Wow, what a punch from the champ! And his score comes in at… One hundred and thirty-seven! A new record! Fighters; Hercule Satan!"

The crowd again broke into cheers, and the champ faced them with a hand on his hip and a victory sign held towards them. The monk strode over to stand next to him with a wide grin on his face.

"Champ, are there any words you want to say to the contestants before you return to the stands?"

Hercule furrowed his brow a moment, glancing nervously towards the tall demi-saiyan again.

"There are some big names here today, but I want you all to fight hard. I'll be waiting in the final match to face off against the winner, and to present them with the championship belt. Now let's have some clean fights, and all of you do your best!"

_Heh, don't know what you're asking for there Hercule. If I have to do my best, then there's something seriously wrong._

With that statement he strode off towards the door he emerged from to the applause of the crowd. Gohan snorted a little and crossed his arms, watching the man leave. Goku raised his eyebrow at the teen.

"I don't get it Gohan, why'd he look at you like that?"

"Oh nothing dad. I might have convinced him to not compete in this tournament."

Videl rolled her eyes and sighed, looking up at the elder Saiyan.

"What he means is that he literally scared the piss out of my dad by almost throwing him off the top of a sky-scraper. Long story…"

Goku laughed nervously, scratching at his neck and watching as the champ disappeared behind the door.

"Well, at least he's not showing off anymore. That was some pretty silly stuff he did last time I saw him."

Gohan merely snorted again and moved to get in line with the others, and the preliminaries began. Gohan watched from his spot, ignoring the babble of conversation going on around him, gauging the competition. The first dozen fighters or so were nothing particularly special, until one abnormally tall desert dweller stepped to the machine with a loud laugh and showing off his… blubber. Gohan deadpanned at the guy, glaring at him in disbelief.

_Sure Hercule might not do much of the show-boating much anymore but this guy isn't lacking in it… How do people even get that large? He's got to be nearly nine feet tall and half a ton._

The giant of a man slammed his open palm into the pad, and the numbers began flashing rapidly.

"And for number thirteen… One hundred and eleven!"

The giant man faced the crowd and threw his fists in the air with a loud yell before walking off to wait for the rest to go. The line began moving again, and none of the contestants were able to pass up the champ's score. A couple passed up the hundred mark, but none really stuck out from the rest. Gohan's attention to the others began to slip, and he focused his thoughts to the line behind him where he could sense the bizarre ki of Shin and Kibito.

About half the line made it through before the first Z-fighter stepped up to the machine in the form of Android 17. Krillin stepped out of the line and halted him before he could get too far.

"Hey 17, I think we should take it easy with the whole punching thing. We don't know how much that chunk of metal can handle… Not to mention the rest of these guys probably won't be able to handle it either."

The android smirked and glanced at the line behind the fighter.

"Hmph… fine."

He stepped directly in front of the machine and lazily threw his fist forward, shaking the machine violently and tipping it back on its legs, much to the shock of the monks monitoring it. The numbers flashed before settling on 734. Krillin slapped his forehead with his palm, grumbling. The android frowned and crossed his arms. The monk taking score pulled his glasses down to stare at it critically before smiling nervously towards him.

"Ummm I'm sorry sir, it appears the machine has had a malfunction. Would you mind trying again?"

17 rolled his eyes and held his hand out, knuckles towards the pad, and rapped on it sharply with the back of his fist. The numbers flashed for a moment before halting at 212. The android raised an eyebrow and glared at the monk, who just stared at the numbers dumbfounded.

"And n-number one thirty-two sc-cores t-two hundred and twelve…"

The android crossed his arms again and strode away from the machine, parting the crowd that stared at him incredulously. 18 tossed her hair over her shoulder and glared after him.

"Show off…"

The other Z-fighters followed him, starting with 18. Krillin, Piccolo and Tien took their turns shortly after. All of them were able to show a little more restraint, landing their punches at scores of just under 200. Silence hung over the courtyard as people watched the seemingly impossible strength of these strange people. As Tien marched off to join the others, Videl realized it was her turn to go. She gulped, wondering just how she was supposed to compete with even a normal fighter's strength with her small size. After all, even Gohan had told her that raw muscle power would not come easily to her, hence the change in fighting style. A firm hand on her shoulder interrupted her worries, and she looked up into those deep onyx eyes of his.

"Don't worry about this one Videl, you're definitely going to be fine. Just hit it like you mean it. Trust me, you'll surprise yourself."

Emboldened, she nodded, setting her brow and striding forward to stand in front of the machine. A light buzz of conversation rose out of the crowd, and she heard her name get thrown around a few times. She shut out the noise and settled into the stance that she had adjusted to so well, balancing her weight between her two feet. Her hand clenched into a fist at her waist, straining her fighting gloves. She gathered her strength and her energy. The flow of ki to her muscles happened without her really noticing it. With a sharp rotation of her hips, she threw her fist forward with the full weight of her body behind it, slamming into the pad with a sharp thud. The machine shifted back an inch or two and the numbers flashed rapidly.

"And miss Satan, number one thirty-seven scores… Three hundred and sixty-nine?!"

It became so silent that Videl wondered if perhaps she had gone deaf. She stared at the numbers for a moment before turning her shocked gaze towards the tall demi-saiyan watching her with a raised eyebrow. She could just imagine the smirk decorating his face behind that mask. She cleared her throat nervously and stood straight, turning on her heel and quickly walking towards the other z-fighters who had already gone, avoiding looking at the crowd of people watching as she passed.

"Pretty impressive Videl. You've been training with him for what… a month? You're definitely learning quicker than I did."

She glanced at Krillin, who was facing her with a broad grin on his face and hands on his hips. She gave him a weak smile and nodded, allowing his praise to stoke her ego a bit. She returned her eyes to the machine, where Gohan was now taking his place. He lazily backhanded the bag and strode over to them, not even looking at the number that flashed on the machine. He halted next to Videl and leaned in close to her, and she could tell he was still smirking at her behind that mask.

"Told you…"

She playfully stuck her tongue out at him and crossed her arms, and they turned to watch the rest of the tournament proceedings. Goku took his turn with the machine, tapping it lightly just like the others before him, and went to stand with the other Z-fighters. Vegeta took his place in front of the machine, glaring at it with barely contained frustration. Goku shuffled next to his son and quickly called out to him.

"Take it easy Vegeta, there are still some people who need to go after you!"

"Hmph fine Kakarot!"

He growled something at the monks on either side of the machine and threw his fist forward, crashing it into the machine and forcing it to skid backwards several feet. He stood there glowering at it as numbers flashed across it, ignoring the dumbstruck looks on everyone's faces around him. Goku covered his face in embarrassment, worriedly looking around him at the dumb-struck fighters around them.

"Vegeta! That's not taking it easy!"

"I didn't break it Kakarot. They can still have their fun with this petty piece of scrap metal."

The prince crossed his arms and turned to walk towards them, parting the crowd like a wedge. The announcer continued to stare at the machine as four figures danced across the readout, his mouth hanging wide open. As the dust kicked up by the skidding machine began to dissipate, the monk managed to get his jaw working again, mumbling to the crowd through the microphone.

"N-number… Number one forty… scores… Kami… it's over 9000..."

Vegeta halted in his tracks, his eyes staring off into nothing and a shocked expression on his face. Goku and Krillin blinked in surprise a couple times, looking at each other to make sure they had heard properly.

"Did… he just…?"

"I think he did…"

The two of them abruptly burst into laughter, earning quizzical looks from the rest of the gang and a stern glare from the prince of Saiyans. Gohan chuckled and shook his head, watching the two turtle students laugh til tears flowed from their eyes. Videl nudged him and indicated towards the pair, who were holding each other up as they laughed at the short man's now pink expression.

"Okay, I missed something. What was so funny about that?"

Gohan just chuckled and crossed his arms, staring down the fuming Saiyan to make it known he wouldn't allow any physical retaliation to his embarrassment.

"Long story..."

"Short version?"

"Hmmm… Suffice to say that those were Vegeta's exact words just before dad beat the crap out of him."

Still not understanding the joke, Videl just watched the two hysterical fighters as they slowly recovered from their amusement.

***A LITTLE WHILE LATER – COMPETITOR WAITING AREA***

"Well that wasn't any fun…"

Goku sighed despairingly and plopped himself down on a bench in the low-lit hallway outside of the preliminary courtyard and gazed up at the ceiling. Gohan stood across the hall from him, focusing at the ground hard. Things had progressed extremely fast after the initial strength contest, since many of the fighters dropped out after Vegeta's little episode. Some of the ones in line after them had still tried their hands on the machine, but none had really made a significant score. He had watched Shen and Kibito give their attempts, and was surprised when their scores came in just below that of the champ's, though neither of them seemed to really try. Gohan could have sworn they didn't actually contact the pad.

Then things progressed to the actual preliminary fights, resulting in Goku's current disappointment. None of the Z-fighters had been paired off against any good fighters, nor had the two mysterious figures of Shin and Kibito. Ultimately, all of the Z-fighters made it through to the tournament bracket, much to their surprise. None of them had expected to make it through the preliminaries without facing someone else from their group. Gohan couldn't help but think that somehow his father's "escorts" had a hand in events turning out as they did.

Something continued to pick at Gohan's nerves about the two of them as time progressed, and he wasn't the only one who seemed concerned. Piccolo was also lost in thought, and Gohan had a sneaking suspicion he was on the same page as the tall Namekian. The little bits that Gohan and Piccolo could see of their fights were uneventful and insignificant. Like the Z-fighters' fights, they only lasted a couple seconds either by ring-out or by their opponents surrendering. In the end, there were only five fighters who were not associated with the Z gang in some way or another. Of those five, the only one that managed to get the demi's attention was the behemoth of a man that had been showing off earlier. The large desert-dweller stood away from the rest of the fighters, grinning stupidly down at them like he had already won the tournament.

_As much as I want to see what Shin and Kibito are all about, I'd rather just beat the tar out of lard-ass there. Kami knows he needs an attitude adjustment._

"Hey Gohan, what's up? You're looking kinda out of it there bro."

Gohan emerged from his inner musings to consider his godfather, slightly surprised at his choice of words.

_It's been years since he last called me that. Not that it really matters…_

"Yea I'm fine Krillin, just have a lot on my mind. Don't you guys think it's odd that none of us had to fight each other? It's like we're being given this tournament, and I don't like it. Something feels wrong here."

He glanced over to the backs of the two fighters who were the source of his discomfort, a gesture that his father caught onto. The older Saiyan smiled at him in his usual care-free grin, stretching with his hands behind his head.

"Oh lighten up Gohan! I'm sure it was all just a coincidence, really. Besides, now the tournament will be a lot more interesting!"

Piccolo chose that moment to finally speak from his secluded spot slightly away from the others, his low voice rumbling out from him with dark undertones.

"No, I agree with Gohan here. Something isn't right. I can't put my finger on it, but there's something familiar about those two, and I'm not sure it's a good type of familiar. They're hiding something from us."

The rest of the Z-fighters turned their attention to the tall Namekian, and the air became filled with a tense silence. Goku recovered first, scratching at his head with a confused pout.

"Well I thought about that, but what's to hide? Even if they're real good, why wouldn't they have attacked already? And why would I have been sent back to find them? I'm sure that it was planned for me to enter the tournament here, but I can't figure out why. Does anyone know who the other fighters are? Maybe it's one of them?"

Their attention was cast upon the other fighters milling about in the waiting area. Besides the Arabian wind-bag, there were four fighters not known to the z-gang. Two were speaking together and casting nervous glances in the direction of the Saiyan Prince. One of them was a rather large dark skinned man wearing a black muscle shirt and camouflage bottoms with combat boots. The other was a shorter blonde pretty-boy wearing a traditional blue fighting uniform. Gohan checked their ki and noted that neither of them came close to even Videl's power, but were still high by human standards. The other two were a little more bizarre.

One was massive in stature, closely resembling Hans, the guy that Gohan had nearly killed for knocking Videl unconscious. The difference was that his brown hair was longer, falling down to his shoulders and framing his thinly bearded face, and that his bulging muscles were open to the air in his strong-man half leotard. The other man was significantly smaller, only standing at about chest height to his counterpart, and bare from the waist up. His was bald and clean shaven, in contrast to his partner. The two of them were extremely muscular, unusually pale, and disturbingly veiny. He noticed that both of them had what appeared to be a calligraphic "M" tattooed on their foreheads and were glaring at the two sources of his own suspicion with looks that could kill.

_It seems I'm not the only one who doesn't like Shin and Kibito… Wonder what their problem is._

Videl spoke up, gesturing towards the fighters in turn and speaking to them all in general.

"Well I only know four of these guys since they fought in previous tournaments. The black guy over there is Killa, a world class boxer and former military type. He made it to the semi-finals in the tournament five years ago when I was in the junior division. The blonde guy he's talking to is named Jewel. He's actually pretty good… He fought with my father in the finals last time. The tub of lard over there is Pintar, a semi-finalist of the last two tournaments, though the way he brags you'd think he owned the world. And… I don't know that guy right there but the other… Well I'm not entirely sure but I think that he's Spopovich… The big guy over there? Yea I'm sure of it now, that's him. He was knocked out early in the last tournament by my dad. He's definitely changed since then… Blech… Those two kinda give me the creeps."

Gohan narrowed his eyes at the two bizarre looking fighters, scoping out their ki.

_Well I suppose it's not impossible that they're who those two are after, but their ki is so weak. Spopovich is definitely the stronger of the two, but his power isn't even pushing Videl's level. No it can't be them; dad wouldn't have been brought back to deal with such a weak enemy. Though I wouldn't put it past the Kais to just toss him down here for a day as a form of punishment. Fucking gods of the universe…_

He glanced at his father, who was inspecting them for himself and seemingly coming to the same conclusion about the other competitors. Vegeta however, was the one to break the silence.

"Bah! Why does it matter, none of them are even worth the time! No, Kakarot, you're the only one I care about fighting here. You and I will settle this, and I will be on top!"

"Oh I don't think so Vegeta, I mean I have been training the whole time I've been dead you know."

"And you think I haven't? I'm the prince of all Saiyans! I have an inherent knowledge of battle that will give me the advantage even if you were still more powerful than me! A brain-damaged Saiyan like you should know already that you're out-matched!"

Gohan instantly felt his defensive side kick in, and he had to fight the urge to launch himself at the arrogant prince. He knew that the older fighter was trying to prove to himself he was better, but verbally degrading his father in front of him… Well it never sat well with the young demi when his father _wasn't _there to take it. He growled, tensing ever so slightly as he glared at the man, letting his voice to cut through the air dangerously.

"Vegeta…"

"Stay out of it brat! This is between your weakling father and me!"

"Why you arrogant little…!"

Gohan stepped away from the wall, his eyes glinting dangerously as he advanced on the prince. Goku stepped between the two of them, holding back his son and grinning nervously.

"Whoa! Whoa, Gohan take it easy! I can still handle my own fights you know… Vegeta, if you think you can beat me on skill alone… then let's make an agreement right now. While we're in the ring; no transforming okay? That way strength will play less of a role."

Gohan never took his eyes off the shorter man's, daring him to say anything else with his looks alone. The prince glared right back, clashing with the demi in a battle of wills. Vegeta lost, breaking the eye contact to glare at Goku instead.

"Fine Kakarot, you've got a deal. But only if the brat here stays in the base form as well."

_Okay fine Vegeta, you don't want me to go Super Saiyan three on you? No matter, I'll still kick your ass if we meet in the ring._

Goku raised his eyebrows, looking to his son for a response with bated breath. The demi took one look at his father and grunted his consent before turning and re-taking his place against the wall to glare at the backs of Shin and Kibito again. Goku grinned and held a thumb up towards the prince.

"Done! Man this is going to be exciting! But hey, when is the junior tournament starting? Didn't they say that they were going to be assigned fights here pretty soon?"

"Ah my good friend, the junior division will begin as soon as we assign you all fights! If you would all gather around please?"

The group turned their attention towards the source of the voice. The announcer had made his way in, followed by several monks, two of which were carrying a footlocker sized box between them with a large hole drilled in the top. The placed the box on top of a bench and the fighters gathered around it in a half circle. The announcer consulted his clipboard for a moment before smiling at the gathered competitors.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, we've got our sixteen fighters! Now we just need to assign you all to a fight! As I call out your name, please come forward and draw a number from the box… Let's see… Killa!"

The large ebony skinned man grunted and stepped forward, heavy boots clunking on the tile floor as he went, and plunged his hand into the box. He shuffled around for a moment before withdrawing and holding up a bright green ball with a number plastered on it.

"Alright, Killa takes slot number eight!"

The man nodded, glancing at the other fighters quickly before making his way to his original place away from the group to wait for the rest of the assignments.

"Pintar!"

"Ah yes! The illustrious Pintar will draw now yes? Oh, I shall!"

Gohan snorted and glared at the back of the giant as he lumbered forward to shove his thick arm in the box.

_Whatever he gets, I hope I get in the ring with him. I really want to kick him down a few levels._

"Pintar takes slot number two in the first round!"

"Ah, of course we must start with the best! I feel sorry for whoever has to fight me first!"

With a high pitched giggle the giant waddled away to stand behind the group, watching them with a broad, arrogant grin.

"Ah! Here's one of the fighters I've been waiting for. Krillin, would you please take a number?"

The short fighter's face fell slightly, and Gohan's sharp hearing heard him grumble something about how he "always had to go first", and "never get any good draws". The tall demi smirked, amused at his godfathers discomfort as he drew his number.

"Well how about that, you are in the first round against Pintar!"

_Gah! Lucky…_

The short fighter sighed and grinned at the announcer, ignoring the scoffing of the giant who was offended to be fighting such a small fighter. The drawings proceeded quickly, with the numbers being relayed via radio to the tournament staff in the arena.

"Miss… number 18... is that your _real_ name?"

The blonde bombshell rolled her eyes and drew a number, holding it up for him to see.

"Not anymore... now I'm number twelve."

She turned, tossing the ball over her shoulder at the startled announcer, who watched after her for a moment before shaking his head and returning to the task at hand.

"Alrighty then, next is… huh… Number 17?"

"Yea, yea I'm coming."

He drew a number, quirking an eyebrow at the announcer before handing it over and striding away to join his sister.

"Ahem… Right, Number 17 takes slot number nine… Hmmm ah! Goku! You're next!"

The tall Saiyan gave his Son grin and practically skipped to the box, reaching in and shuffling around a bit with a concentrated glare at the cieling and his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth. Gohan watched him, amusement bubbling up in him at the sight of his father's slightly immature antics.

_Seven years dead, and despite all the things that have happened, he's still exactly the same… He's exactly how I remember him from all those years ago; still care free and able to inspire happiness just by being... him. Man I've missed that._

His momentary happiness was drowned quickly by regret and sorrow as he subtly reminded himself that he was the reason that happiness had been gone for the last seven years. He shook the thought from his head, determined not to let it get to him while his father was still there, and watched as the man pulled his number with a wide grin.

"Ah, you got number eleven! You'll be facing miss number 18 in your first fight!"

A short ways away, Gohan heard the Saiyan prince huff indignantly, and smirked.

_Well at least it won't be those two in the first round…_

"Next is… Vegeta… Aaaand you got number fifteen!"

The Saiyan prince crossed his arms and strode over to where Gohan had previously been rooted, glaring over at his father with barely contained frustration.

"Ummm next is… Ah! Another previous tournament fighter! Ma Junior!"

The tall Namekian brushed past the others and thrust his long arm in the box, and Gohan noticed he appeared to be slightly sweaty.

_Hmmm… What's eating you Piccolo?_

"And Ma Junior takes slot three!... Ummm Tien Shinhan! You're next"

The triclops confidently strode forward, earning wide-eyed stares from the human fighters who had heard of the previous champion. Tien pulled a number, and visibly paled with a scowl on his face, glancing over at the android twins nervously.

"Tien takes slot ten against number 17… Next we have Jewel!... who takes… Slot number six!"

The blonde nodded and strode past him, pausing momentarily to look over Videl with a suggestive twitch of the eyebrows. He flashed her a toothy smile and strutted away to join Killa in conversation again. Gohan clenched his fists and glared after him, suddenly hoping he wound up in the ring with him instead.

"Bardock! You're up!"

Gohan glared at the blonde a moment longer before striding forward and uncrossing his arms. He reached into the box and grabbed the first ball he touched, pulling it out and holding it towards the announcer. The blonde man took it, and Gohan strode away to lean against the wall opposite Vegeta.

"Bardock takes spot number thirteen! Next is… Miss Videl Satan."

As she strode towards the box, Gohan ran the current fights through his mind, taking inventory of the fighters who had yet to draw.

_Hmmm… most of the fights still only have one fighter, and… yup it's the four creepiest ones left. Well… Hopefully Videl at least gets paired up with someone she can take._

"And miss Videl takes slot number five, and will be fighting Jewel in her first match!"

Gohan smirked, knowing full well that Jewel wasn't a match for her in the least. He looked back at the remaining fighters, thinking quickly about who she would be fighting in the second round.

_Okay so it's going to either be Killa or… one of these guys. Well, I hope she doesn't wind up with Shin or Kibito, I still can't figure out how powerful they really are. Those other two don't seem to be any more powerful than her first opponent though._

"Next is Spopovich!"

The behemoth of a man growled, stiffly walking forward and squeezing his hand into the box. The announcer watched him struggle to get his grip on one of the balls, adjusting his sunglasses to look at him better.

"You've been hitting the weights huh buddy? Well, you've definitely made progress! It's good to see you back here."

The large man snarled and removed his hand from the box, holding a ball out to the announcer. He dropped it in his outstretched hand and went to sit where he had been before, clenching his hands with what appeared to be barely contained rage. His brown hair shaded his face, but Gohan could just barely hear the sound of teeth grating together emanating from him.

"Next is Yamu!"

Unlike his partner, Yamu calmly strode forward and easily plucked a ball from the box, handing it over to the announcer.

"And Yamu takes slot number… Fourteen! He'll be fighting against Bardock in the first round."

_Yamu huh?… I was hoping to face Shin or Kibito, but I suppose I can deal with that later. Let's see.. That just leaves Piccolo's and Vegeta's fights open._

"Ummm mister Shin?"

The short purple man seemingly glided over, his posture firm and held high like a kings. He reached in the box and quickly pulled a ball from the box, glancing over at the Z-fighters with that same smirk he had worn before.

"Shin takes spot number four, matching him up against Ma Junior in the second round. Which leaves mister Kibito with spot number sixteen against Vegeta! Fantastic! With that taken care of, we can officially start the tournament, and a bit ahead of schedule to boot! First we will have the junior division, which will be starting here in ten minutes or so! Just wait for the call, and I will see you all ring side alright?"

With a friendly smile and wave, he left the same way he came, trailing the monks and the box. The Z-fighters wasted no time, quickly gathering and leaving the dimly lit hall to rejoin the others in the arena. Videl led the way, pointing out places of interest on the way and conversing lightly with whoever happened to be near her. Gohan held back slightly from the rest, walking with his former mentor who was scowling even harder than normal and staring off into nothingness.

"What is it Piccolo? You're not nervous about that Shin guy are you?"

The namekian turned his eyes towards him, and Gohan had his answer even before his response came.

"Yes, Gohan, I am. Something about those two is driving me nuts, like I know exactly who they are but can't place it. Every time I get close, it's like it jumps just out of my reach."

"I hear ya Piccolo, but I don't think they can take you. And besides, if things get out of hand, I'll step in. That was the reason I came in the first place."

The Namekian considered his former pupil out of the corner of his eye and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm.

"Yea I know Gohan, and I appreciate it. But I don't know if that's necessary."

They walked in silence for a moment, watching as Goku talked excitedly with Videl about something that was making her turn beet red. Gohan smirked, just trying to imagine what story his father was telling the girl.

"How are you holding up kid? I was worried for a while there that you would do something drastic when he came back."

Gohan furrowed his brow, averting his eyes from the orange clad figure of his father. In his peripherals, he could see Piccolo watching him with his scrutinizing glare.

"My instincts are telling me to run or fight Piccolo. Every time I see him, I want to panic and flee. I feel so wrong here with him, but I know that I can't just leave. I can't run from him like that. Just like with the twins, I have to be there for those who still need me."

The Namekian nodded, smirking at the boy and rubbing his jaw.

"At least this time you didn't take it out on my face. I'll be honest, I don't think I'd live through it if you did."

Gohan could feel his face getting hot with embarrassment as the memory of that particular event rose in his mind. Eager to change the subject, he cleared his throat, just as a loud cheer went up from the arena they were walking towards and a loud gong sounded over-head.

"Well, shall we? I wanna see which of the demon trio is going to come out on top."

"My bet's on Trunks. Sorry Gohan, but he's a year older than the twins."

"And? You've got me beat by more than that and I'd still whoop you all the way back to the lookout."

"Hmmm true. Fine, who do you think is going to win?"

Gohan smiled, running over the past years of training with the twins under his watchful eye. They were almost perfectly even in power, and both of them had a natural talent for fighting, despite the lack of a need for it in their case. On top of that, the both of them were way more powerful now than even he was at their age, probably rivaling his own strength when the androids first attacked. He often wondered why they were already so powerful, but always concluded it was the fact that they were constantly rough-housing.

But his little sister definitely had the advantage between the two of them. Goten was a brilliant fighter already, but his little sister inherited an intelligence that was unfortunately lacking in her twin. On top of that, while Goten was very difficult to upset, Ria had managed to get a tempter that rivaled her older brothers. There was no doubt in Gohans mind who would win if she was pushed to it.

"Well, unless Trunks has managed to go super-saiyan without our knowledge, I think that Ria is going to win."

"We'll see Gohan. Now come on, the others are waiting for us over there, and I'm sure Launch has cleared a spot for us."

_She seemed so nice though... how is she going to "clear a spot", being as gentle as she is?..._

**A/N: Okay, so there were quite a few changes no? Just wait, i'm just starting to get my pace for this one! Yes, I just stated that the twins and trunks are not super-saiyans yet in this story. The whole "hey ya, dad i'm a super-saiyan, sorry for not making it noticeable" way that Trunks and Goten did it was just... disappointing to me... Execution was amusing because of the reactions of Gohan and Vegeta, but not what that transformation should be like IMO... Anyways, see you guys next time!**

**P.S. Thanks to the anon review for pointing out my glitch with Yamu's number! It has been fixed!**


	22. Pint-Sized Surprise

**Hey all! Sorry I didn't get this one up earlier today/last night, but my internet access went out before I fell asleep so I had to wait and do it later! Anywhoo a lot of thinking went into this particular chapter. Might be a major plot point in here, might not be… You'll just have to wait and see now won't you! Thanks for all the reviews, keep them coming! If you see something I made a mistake in, feel free to let me know either in a review or via PM, and I'll correct it! **

**Anyways, on to the chapter! Focused on a different character this time! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 22: Pint-Sized Surprise**

***IN THE ARENA READY-ROOM***

Ria leaned back on the bench the three of them were sharing, clutching onto the edge of it and swinging feet back and forth with a huge grin on her face. Next to her, her brother was wearing a similar expression and holding his knees to his chest, his dazed gaze staring of into nothing. The only one who wasn't pleased was the Lavender haired boy on the other side of Goten. All she knew is he kept grumbling about having to fight with "weakling little kids", but she didn't really care.

_My daddy is here, I finally got to meet him! This is just too awesome! Mom told us he died before we were born, but he's here! It's strange, he looks just like Gohan, but with funnier hair and… well no scars. And he looks so happy all the time! I wish Gohan would look like that sometimes too… I don't get why he's so sad all the time when he thinks I'm not looking._

Off to her left, she heard Trunks clear his throat and felt him nudge Goten.

"Hey Goten, your dad is fighting in the tournament today right? Do you think he and my dad will fight? Mom said they were rivals, and that your dad and the others had to team up to beat him up because dad was too strong."

"Really? I never heard that! Mom said that dad was the first super-saiyan, and that your dad has been trying to pass him up for years but can't do it!"

"Nuh-uh! My dad is the strongest in the world!"

Ria crossed her arms and huffed at the boy, catching both of their attention.

"Come on Trunks! We all know that Gohan is a lot stronger than your dad, and I bet our dad is even stronger than him! Dads are supposed to be stronger than their kids right? Why wouldn't he be?"

"But my dad can beat Gohan! I saw him do it!"

"Oh yea? You're making that up! Just like you've been making up how strong you really are. I bet I can beat you!"

The young lavender haired boy scoffed and glared at her incredulously, to which she just stuck her tongue out.

"No you can't Ria! You're just a girl! We all know that boys are stronger than girls!"

Ria glared at him, and she could feel her temper beginning to slip. How dare that little mini-prince insinuate that she was weak because she was a girl! She was about to give him a piece of her mind when she was rudely interrupted by a voice that drawled out a few feet away from them with a thick, nasally accent.

"Hey pip-squeak! Yea, you there with the purple hair! You're gonna be my first victim!"

The three demi-saiyans all turned their quizzical stares to the newcomer. He was quite a bit larger than them all, easily in his teenage years, and toting a truly horrendous blonde mullet. He was shirtless, showing off his lean, un-developed chest and arms. He was flanked by two cronies, both also shirtless and wearing similar gi pants with equally horrible hair-styles. Ria couldn't help herself, she felt a fit of giggles coming on and tried to suppress them with her hand somewhat successfully.

_What a dweeb! He thinks that he can beat trunks? Please! He might be a meanie like his dad but he's still way stronger than any of these guys!_

"Hey! What do you think you're laughing at there short stuff? You want a piece of this?"

The blonde punched his hand, clenching his fists and puffing himself up in an attempt to look bigger. His two friends glared at her, attempting to look tough with the way they hunched their shoulders. It looked so ridiculous that it sent her into a full-blown laughing fit. The blonde guy's face contorted into an enraged snarl and he began to advance on the girl, who merely cocked an eyebrow and continued to laugh, kicking her feet against the bench and holding her stomach.

"Stop laughing you twerp! I oughta smack some sense into you!"

Before he could even get within arms-reach of her, he was halted by the two tiny forms of Trunks and Goten, who were suddenly in front of him and glaring at him menacingly. Trunks bared his teeth at the teen, crossing his arms defiantly.

"Look motor-mouth, I don't know who you think you are, but you had best turn around and leave. You won't even get the chance to touch her."

The blonde pulled up short, blinking down at the lavender haired child before erupting into uproarious laughter with his two friends. The one to his right, wearing his light brown hair in a mullet like his friend, clapped him on the back and sneered down at the young demi-saiyans.

"Hey Idasa, I think that shorty here is trying to protect his little girlfriend! Maybe you ought to put a little fear in him for your match!"

Ria and Trunks both cringed, blushing furiously at the implication, albeit for different reasons.

_Protecting me? Trunks? I don't need protection! I can handle myself!_

_Girlfriend? EEW!_

"Hah! Maybe you're right little brother! 'Ey pip-squeak, how about it? You think you can take me on; the best junior fighter in Mr. Satan's gym?"

The three demi's watched him puzzled as he bounced from foot to foot, hands up in a boxing guard. The blond gave a quick laugh and threw his fist forward, halting it an inch from the lavender boy's face. Trunks rasied an eyebrow, glaring up at him with an exasperated expression. Idasa's confident smile faded slowly to be replaced by a confused grimace.

"What the hell, don't you flinch?"

Trunks smirked, sniffing irritably and narrowing his eyes at the teen.

"Nope. Now go away, before I make you."

Seeing the blonde's intent to retort, Ria quickly stepped in, hopping down from her perch on the bench to stand right behind the boys with her hands on their shoulders. She grinned sweetly up at the teen, catching him off guard.

"Be nice Trunks! You'll face him in the tournament right? He wouldn't want to get disqualified before the fights even start, now would he?"

The three offenders all blinked stupidly at her, taking a few seconds to comprehend what she was getting at. A moment passed before it clicked, and the teenager snorted, standing straight and crossing his arms.

"Right. I've got a tournament to win first. You're lucky your girlfriend was here to save you runt! Don't worry, you'll get yours in the ring, I promise you that."

With that statement he turned and walked between his to lackeys to the other side of the room. Ria watched him go with a smirk dancing on her lips, knowing full well what was going to happen in the ring. She noticed that Trunks was nervously glancing out the corner of his eyes at her with a slight blush on his face, and a jolt of realization shot through her.

_Oh, the girlfriend comment! Ha! That gives me an idea!_

"Oh Trunks… Thank you for protecting me from that big, bad teenager!"

She shuffled her feet with mock bashfulness, causing the Lavender haired boy to freeze, staring at her with pure fear etched across his face. Taking her chance, she quickly stepped close to him and planted a kiss directly on his cheek before turning and hopping back up on the bench with a devious grin. Trunks seemed very faint for a moment before his brain caught up with the rest of his body and his face flushed brick red.

"AAAAH! COOTIES!"

He rubbed furiously at his cheek, trying to rid himself of the "cooties" and running around in small circles while the Son twins watched. Ria was again doing her best to contain her laughter, while Goten wrinkled his nose in disgust, tongue sticking out of his head as he watched his friend fight his embarrassment.

"Eew… Cooties… What are cooties?"

Ria rolled her eyes, slightly put out by her twin's naivety. Just then the announcer's voice came over the speakers in the room, silencing the excited babble and catching all the kids' attention.

"_Alright! The adult division fights have been determined, so at this time would all junior division fighters please make their way to the ring so that we can begin._"

Ria hopped up excitedly and grabbed the boys by their gi tops, dragging them towards the exit to get in line with their competition.

"Let's go guys! It's time to go win this competition!"

***IN THE STANDS***

"Oh you've got to be kidding me…"

Gohan had re-joined the party at the mouth of the tunnel leading into the stadium which he noted was completely plugged with people. It was total chaos with everyone crammed into the little "alleys" between the seats bumping into each other without any real movement happening as everyone scrambled to get a good seat. Looking around quickly, he noted that there were several rows towards the front that were still open, but with the sea of noisy people between their group and the seats it seemed like the only way to get through would be to throw a ki-blast. He felt Lime grasp onto his arm as she looked around at the crowd anxiously.

"Okay, so how are we going to do this again? There's so many…"

"Heh. Lime honey, what you're about to see hasn't been seen at a world martial arts tournament in nearly twenty years."

The two teens turned their quizzical glare towards Bulma, who was grinning deviously. She crossed her arms and looked towards Tien and his wife. Tien's eyes widened at the sight of the blue haired genius and he gulped, glancing nervously at his currently blue-black haired wife who seemed momentarily oblivious to what was happening as she watched the crowds nervously.

"Bulma, you're not planning on…"

Launch started at the sound of her husband's voice, looking up at him curiously. She glanced between the two of them before realization seemed to hit her and she beamed at the blue-haired genius, speaking in her high-pitched girly voice.

"Oh don't worry about him Bulma! He forgets that she's not nearly as bad as she was back then. After all, she did get us quite a few drinks at that club on Halloween didn't she? Go ahead; I'm sure she'll sort out this problem."

_She? Who is "She"?_

Bulma grimaced and turned slightly red at the woman's words, and Tien quickly darted off to the side, dragging Chiaotzu with him to hide behind Goku. The tall Saiyan grinned nervously, but chose not to try and hide due to Chi Chi gripping his arm and holding him firmly in place.

"Please Launch, don't remind me of that night… Long Islands… Never again…"

She coughed, turning a slightly delicate shade of green before shaking her head and pulling out her purse. Launch joined her, clasping her hands in front of her and bouncing on the balls of her feet happily. Yamcha seemed to be as affected as Tien, and tried to hide himself behind Krillin. The short ex-monk protested profusely to being picked up and used as a shield, much to the amusement of android 18. Yamcha ignored his short friend's complaints and warily eyed the two women.

"Ummm Bulma are you sure this is a good idea? With the crowds…?"

"Duh, that's the point silly! Now Launch, just hold still a second."

Now Gohan was extremely confused. He glanced around to see several of the older Z-fighters either grinning confidently or cowering in fear behind those who didn't know what was about to happen. The rest all wore expressions that Gohan was sure to be decorating his own face.

_What in the world is she talking about? What's she about to do? And why the hell are those guys hiding? Even Piccolo seems a little bit nervous now!_

Bulma removed a fluffy looking feather from her purse, confusing Gohan even further. Before anyone could comment or question what was going on, she ran the feather once across the nostrils of the dark haired woman and took a step back. Launch's eyes squeezed shut and her face crinkled into a concentrated pout for a moment before...

"Ah… AH… AHHHHH-CHOOO!"

_What… The fuck just happened?!_

Before him stood Launch as he had seen her in many of the pictures from the old days at Capsule corps. Her hair had flashed blonde and her eyes a dark green from their usual dark blue. The woman's entire demeanor shifted in an instant, from her happy bounce and springy posture to a shoulder-width stance set firm like a fighters with hands on her hips. Her expression quickly shifted from her innocent and sweet smile to a truly dangerous looking smirk that somehow didn't take away from her natural beauty. Stunned didn't even come close to what he was feeling at the moment. She glanced around at their faces before halting suddenly on that of Goku's.

"Goku?! What the hell, I thought you were dead you rascal! Com'ere!"

_Whoa, even her voice changed!_

She quickly pulled him into a headlock and noogied him before he could resist her, earning a strangled yelp from the tall Saiyan.

"Whoa hey Launch chill with the hair will ya? Just 'cause I'm dead doesn't mean that doesn't still hurt!"

The blonde released him, allowing him to stand up straight before punching him on the arm and placing her hands on her hips. She hesitated for a moment, craning her neck up to look at him before glancing down at his feet and back up.

"You're taller than I remember… "

Goku chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his neck, looking towards Gohan with a knowing look.

"Well you kinda missed out on the last seventeen years while you were living in Chiaotzu's Empire, but I kept growing for a while after the tournament."

She crossed her arms and glowered up at him, mumbling about how he was more fun when he was short and not dead. Bulma cut in, nudging the blonde in the side and gesturing towards the crowd before them.

"Say Launch, you think you can do something about this?"

The blonde woman took one look at her surroundings and an evil sneer emerged on her lips. Gohan, who had just started to regain his wits after the sudden change, was plunged back into shock when the woman seemingly materialized a pair of pistols out of nowhere.

"Bulma, darlin', it would be my pleasure."

Gohan watched after her as she confidently marched towards the edge of the crowd, holding the pistols at the ready.

_Okay, okay so when she sneezes she changes… Wow she's got an _**actual** _double personality, with separate memories and all. I thought that she was just going through a phase in those old pictures! And where the hell did the pistols come from?! What is it with these damned women and their magic ability to pull weapons out of nowhere? Why can't I do that?! I'd still carry a sword…_

The blonde halted, extending her arms straight up and squeezing the trigger on both pistols, firing off a quick four round burst of lead that silenced the crowd as they cowered away from her.

"All right listen up! I want a path cleared right… _here_! All the way to the front row… Well what are you waiting for? Move!"

She released another burst of shots, and within seconds a path wide enough for all of them to pass through opened up, leading straight to the front row of seats. Gohan blinked in surprise at the speed with which she was able to control a crowd, and laughed. Most of the Z-fighters turned to him in surprise, and he locked eyes with his godmother, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"Why didn't you tell me she could do that?"

The bluenette just shrugged with an apologetic smile before the crackle of the loudspeakers caught their attention.

"_Alright! The adult division fights have been determined, so at this time would all junior division fighters please make their way to the ring so that we can begin._"

The Z-gang began making their way towards the seats conveniently vacated for them by the gun-wielding blonde at the announcement, leaving the stunned teens with the crowd in their wake. A pair of cops ran up to Gohan and Videl, the latter of which was still staring after the blonde woman in awe. The officers had pistols drawn and were scanning the crowd for the source of the gunshots they had responded to.

"Bardock! Videl! Who was shooting?"

Lime coughed nervously, recovering from her shock to take in the officers. She held up a hand to stall them and gestured for them to calm down.

"Officers please! It was just an old family friend; I assure you nobody was in danger!"

The officers lowered their weapons, looking quizzically between the teens before them and the tall super-hero.

"Ummm Bardock? This girl a friend of yours? You sure we shouldn't go detain the guy?"

Gohan laughed, crossing his arms in front of his chest and glaring down the officer with an amused expression visible in his eyes.

"Woman actually… And there's no snowball's chance in hell you're gonna arrest her. She's with me."

The cop who was speaking paled slightly, and cleared his throat while holstering his sidearm. His buddy didn't get the hint, instead looking at Videl incredulously.

"Miss Satan, you're okay with this? I mean, she discharged a weapon in a crowded public area!"

The raven-haired crime fighter rolled her eyes, patting Gohan on the shoulder and sighing heavily.

"Normally I'd agree with you, but Bardock hasn't failed me yet. Though it'd have been nice to know about her having a quirk like that _before _the fact! No, go ahead and go back to your post officer; we'll keep it in control in here."

The officer furrowed his brow, obviously not pleased with the answer, but didn't protest. He holstered his pistol and pushed through the crowd with his partner back out of sight. Gohan snorted, raising his eyebrows at her in mock surprise.

"Well look at that, miss does-everything-by-the-book letting a crazy woman with guns roam about in public? For shame…"

Videl glared at him, smacking him on the arm and eliciting a chuckle from her three friends. But she could only hold it for a second before her scowl slowly turned upside down. Giving up her battle with her amusement, she crossed her arms and chuckled.

"Just don't make me regret it. Now why don't you go find somewhere _private_ to change out of that and into normal clothes so you can sit with us and _not _get us any weird stares like at breakfast? You're supposed to be a badass vigilante not a family man when you're dressed like that."

Erasa started giggling, earning confused looks from the other teens.

"Oh come on Videl, you just had to say 'private' didn't you? We all had our suspicions, but now we _know_ you just wanna get him undressed! Not that I'd be complaining about that…"

"Erasa!"

Both raven haired teen's expressions changed to shock at the bubbly blonde's insinuation, and they began blushing furiously. Sharpener and Lime both broke into laughter at the looks on their faces, and Erasa smiled victoriously. Gohan glanced at the crime fighter and their eyes met for a brief moment. A jolt shot up his spine when he realized that, despite his current embarrassment, he wasn't opposed to the idea in the least, and she didn't seem to have any doubts buried in those cerulean eyes either.

_Well if she returns the favor… NOPE stop that! Don't think about that! Not right now!_

He nervously cleared his throat and began edging away to find himself a place to switch outfits without being noticed.

"I'll… Just be right back…"

"Take pictures!"

"ERASA!"

***IN THE ARENA***

Ria followed the chubby kid walking before her out towards the ring, her wide eyes darting everywhere to try and take it all in. This place was absolutely huge! Three sides of the arena were filled with stands that reached way up into the sky, making her feel slightly claustrophobic. A set of flood lights hung over the entire arena to be lit when it got dark, and the crowd was thundering down an insane amount of noise onto her sensitive half-saiyan ears. She winced and looked around at the crowd as she walked, searching for a familiar face. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find Trunks pointing over towards their right.

"They're right there."

And there they were, indeed. Slightly separated from the rest of the crowd by a few seats at least on all sides, and Ria noticed that several of the people sitting closest to them were fearfully watching the mean looking blonde woman sitting in the front next to Tien.

"Hey Trunks? Who is that lady?"

The three children peered at her closely as they walked towards the raised arena. Goten however, was the first to make the connection.

"That's miss Launch! I'm sure of it, she looked like that in those pictures at your house Trunks!"

"Hmmm. Weird. Why is she blonde?"

The Son boy gasped and looked at Trunks with wide eyes.

"You don't think she's part Saiyan do you? I mean if her hair goes from dark to blonde…"

Ria rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"I think we'd have known if she was a Saiyan Goten, especially a super saiyan! Besides, she's too nice to be a Saiyan! Just look at Trunks' dad!"

"Hey! My dad's nice… Sorta…"

Their conversation was cut off as the made their way up the steps to the arena, lining up shoulder to shoulder and facing the crowd. Many of the children gathered were quaking at the roar of the gathered fans, letting their nerves get to them. Ria noticed that Goten was one of them, glancing around nervously with his hands clasped behind his back.

"_Alright people! Please welcome the junior division fighters for the 26__th__ world martial arts tournament! Unlike the adult tournament, there are no preliminaries! All thirty six of the young fighters you see here today will get a shot at the title of junior champion!"_

To her left she could hear Trunks grumbling about having to fight human children and how it wasn't fair.

_Don't worry Trunks, I'll give you a run for your money, just you watch! I'm gonna win that prize, and then I'll have all the toys I could ever want._

_ "In this competition today, we have a wide range of fighters from all across the world. Our youngest competitors today are none other than the children of the twenty-third world martial arts tournament's champion: Goku Son! They are twin brother and sister Goten and Ria Son!"_

The two Son children blushed and shuffled nervously, smiling bashfully towards the group of people cheering over the excited buzz of the crowd off to their right. Ria felt the urge to hide her face when she heard her mother screeching over the crowd in support of her and her brother.

_"And today's oldest competitor is fifteen year old Idasa from the Satan Dojo! Idasa and his younger brother Ikose competed in the regional junior tournament two months ago, and are expected to do well in this tournament today!"_

At the mention of their names, the tall blonde boy and the other who he had referred to as "little brother" earlier both raised their fists to the air, grinning confidently at the crowd as they were cheered on. Ria watched them, exasperated at their smug expressions as the glared around at the other junior fighters with challenge written in their eyes. Ikose, as she now knew him, locked eyes with her and sneered down at her from his place in line several feet away. He pointed at her and then gave her a thumbs-down gesture.

_HA! _That's _the guy I get to fight in my first round? And to think I was going to feel bad for accidentally hurting one of these kids._

_ "Now give it up for our junior division fighters! Fighters if you would, please make your way back to the staging area and await your turn? First up will be twelve year old Burt and thirteen year old Throw!"_

***IN THE STANDS***

Gohan settled himself into his seat next to Videl towards the back of the group, leaning back and crossing his arms. His grandfather waved at him cheerily, catching the attention of his mother and father, who sat directly in front of him.

"Oh Gohan! Good, I was wondering where you went! I'm glad you changed, you look so much more handsome in your gi than you do in that armor. Let's you show off that face of yours…"

Gohan glanced around nervously, making sure nobody was really paying attention before whispering harshly at her.

"Mom! Please try not to draw attention to it? What if someone connects the dots?"

Goku grinned at him with his usual care-free visage and waved off the question.

"Aww come on Gohan don't be so worried! No one will notice! Besides, the gi does suit you better! I like the new look; blue on red? I don't know why I never thought of that…"

He paused a moment, glancing at the girl next to him for a split second before smiling deviously in a very un-Goku-ish way.

"And I think your girlfriend agrees with your mother."

"Girlfriend?!"

His mother's shriek rang in his ears, and evidently those of his father's and Vegeta's as well with how they were covering them. He felt a sense of dread crash down on his mind, accompanied with a very deep-seated embarrassment that flooded his cheeks with heat.

"Oh kami, here we go…"

It was unavoidable now, his mother shot over the row of seats to envelop the girl into a back-breaking hug, scattering the other teens to the side as she babbled excitedly to her. Those who she had unintentionally shoved out of the way staggered back into their seats, blinking in surprise at the sudden outburst. Goku laughed nervously at the glare his son sent him while Chi Chi fussed over the girl. He smiled apologetically, obviously not realizing beforehand that his wife wasn't in on the secret.

Gohan rolled his eyes, willing himself to sink into the floor to avoid the teasing he was sure to receive from the other Z-fighters, especially Yamcha and Krillin. Despite their knowledge of his delicate state of mind, they had always found a way to tease him about girls, and now that there was even a suggestion of a relationship between him and Videl… He decided he would rather not think about it.

She started ranting incoherently, and Gohan vaguely caught the words "wedding", "dress", and of course, "Children". Videl seemed to not catch a word of it, too stunned to even react. Goku attempted to come to the rescue, accurately guessing where his wife was going with her babbling.

"Hey hun? Cut her some slack would you? I don't even know if she _is_ his girlfriend, I was just teasing!"

The Son matron's mood shifted immediately.

_**CLANG!**_

She was suddenly standing above her husband, pan in hand and glaring at him with her teeth bared. Goku rubbed the back of his head, smiling apologetically up at her. The others could only observe the woman's sudden mood-change with fear etched on their features under threat of the infamous pan.

_Seriously… Where does she hide that thing?!_

"Chi Chi, hun, the first fight is about to start…"

The Son matron blinked a couple times, looking up towards the ring where the two children who had been called out were facing off against each other. Yet again her mood flipped completely, and she was again planted firmly in her seat and clutching onto her husband's arm as she watched the ring with rapt attention.

"My babies are gonna be out there! Oh how exciting! It'll be just like old times!"

The z-gang let out a collective sigh, glad that the unpredictable mood-swings of the woman had passed without too much damage being done. Gohan nervously nudged Videl, silently asking if she was alright with his questioning eyes. Still obviously shaken, the girl nodded her head and managed to mumble out one word: "Crazy."

With that out of the way, Gohan chuckled nervously and set to watching the tournament. The first two fights were beyond boring for the z-fighters. It wasn't that the junior competitors were bad fighters, after all it was a word class junior championship, but compared to what they were capable of the kids were just slow. Neither of the fights lasted much longer than a minute before one or the other was panting with exhaustion and fell to the other by ring-out or knock-out.

_"And Koryuu wins by pushing Mooki out of the ring! Up next we have a match between eight year old Trunks, and fifteen year old Idasa! Fighters!"_

Gohan fixed his sights on the young lavender haired boy emerging from the ready-room, walking next to a skinny looking teenager with a mullet. Sighing in resignation, he propped his head up on his hand.

_Don't do anything drastic Trunks._

***BACK IN THE WAITING ROOM***

Ria peeked around the side of the wooden board blocking the view of the ring from the doorway, watching her friend as he entered the ring. She already knew what was going to happen, but wanted to watch all the same just to see the tall jerk get brought down off his high horse. Next to her, Goten watched him with wide eyes.

"Hey Ria, how long do you think that Idasa guy is going to last?"

"Hmmm… Ten seconds?"

"That long?"

An apprehensive silence settled between the two of them as Trunks stared up at the tall teen, not even getting into a fighting stance. The announcer called out the start of the match, and for a moment nothing seemed to happen. Idasa appeared to be taunting him for a moment before Trunks decided he'd heard enough. The crowd erupted in cheers as the small boy kicked Idasa's legs out from under him and followed up with another kick that sent the teen flying into the air several feet before crashing back to the ring face-first.

_"Wow what a combo! And Idasa is down! One… Two… Three…"_

Trunks turned and began walking out of the ring, leaving just as the announcer called out his victory to the crowd. The two Son twins beamed at each other, returning to their spots on the bench where they had been before.

"So Goten, if you win, what are you going to do with the money?"

"Uhhh I dunno really. What would you do with it?"

"Probably buy toys I guess… Though didn't Videl say that she was trying to get some money so she could live on her own? Maybe I'll give some to her, since she won't be able to beat any of the grown-ups?"

Her twin pouted, frowning at the ground with a confused expression.

"Why would she want to go live live on her own? That's got to be boring!"

"I dunno, something about her dad if I remember right. Her dad has lots of money but she doesn't want his, she wants her own I guess…"

Goten seemed thoughtful for a moment before perking up and grinning at her.

"She and Gohan are close friends right? Why doesn't she live with us?"

"Goten you can be so naive sometimes you know that? Why do you think Lime never lived with us? That's what grown-ups do when they're like Bulma and Vegeta! Gohan and Videl aren't like that, they're just friends."

Trunks arrived at that moment, catching the end of her statement and giving her a quizzical look.

"But mom said that Videl and Gohan were gonna get married one day, I heard her and dad talking about it a while ago. Well, dad said 'mated', but that's what he means right?"

Ria considered him for a moment, blinking in surprise at his words. A silence settled over them as she considered what he had said. Goten and Trunks picked up a conversation about what toys they would buy, or in Trunks' case, what "big kid toys" he was going to get since he already had every "kids" toy. Her earlier irritation came forth at his apparent confidence that she wasn't even a threat to him winning the title, and neither was her twin.

Goten was called forth to fight one fight later, and Ria was surprised to find he was matched up against Idasa's other crony, who was named Reece. Already knowing full well what was going to happen, Ria and Trunks opted to stay seated until the match was over. Many of the other kids in the room rushed for a window to watch the "Little kid" fight one of the older students from the Satan Dojo. One of the older kids called out to her, looking at her expectantly.

"Hey there, Ria was it? Aren't you gonna watch your brother fight?"

"Oh I don't need to! He's going to win, just watch."  
The confused kid blinked at her a few times before returning his attention out the window at the ring. True to her word, she heard the sound of the match starting, a sudden stunned silence, and then uproarious cheering from outside. She smirked, rocking back and forth on the bench and swinging her legs as her twin reappeared with a disappointed pout on his face. He joined them, sitting heavily on the bench and pouting at the ground.

"That wasn't any fun… These guys are a lot weaker than I thought they would be. I blocked his punch with one finger, and I only hit him once! Trunks maybe we should have gotten into the adult division like you said."

"I told you…"

Ria sighed exasperatedly, glaring up at the ceiling and again shooting down any plans the two of them could come up with.

"Guys I know none of these kids is going to be a challenge to us, but how do you propose getting into the adult fight without getting in some serious trouble? Besides, the fighters have already been selected remember? They announced it before we went out there."

The two boys couldn't think of any way around that situation, and sighed in defeat. Several rounds passed, with the three of them sitting in silence as the fights outside crawled by. Ria glanced at the junior bracket posted on the board, noting that they were going out of order from the way it was laid out there. The only way for Goten and Trunks to fight each other was during the semi-final match, which left the entire other half of the bracket to her.

_Well I suppose one of us had to get stuck on our own… Oh well, at least I know I'll be in the finals! I wonder which one I'll be fighting…_

_ "Alright fans, time for our next match! We have Seven year old Ria up against fourteen year old Ikose! Would the fighters please make their way to the ring?"_

"Good luck sis!"

"Heh. You'll need it girl!"

Ria hopped up, irritably brushing aside Trunk's snide remark and began making her way towards the ring, trailing the brunette mullet-head she had seen earlier. They made it to the ring, and Ria adjusted the fighting kimono modeled after her mother's from the time she had competed. The announcer beamed at the two of them before turning to the crowd, and Ikose sneered down at her with hands on his hips.

_"Alright fighting fans, here we go with the final match of the first round of fights for the junior division! Ria Son, the daughter of Goku and Chi Chi son, who were both competitors of the twenty-third tournament, versus Ikose. Ikose's brother has already been eliminated from the tournament! Can the Son girl finish what's been started, or will the Satan Dojo have a fighter come out on top? Let's find out… Fighters… Begin!"_

Ikose immediately settled into a stance, sneering confidently down at the Son girl, who stepped forward into a stance that Gohan had taught her over the years of training.

"You know, normally I wouldn't hit girls, but I think I can make an exception for you, you little runt! Your friend got lucky with my brother, but I won't take it so easy on you. Don't worry girly, I'll take you down easy so you don't hurt your nails. HAHA!"

Ria glared at him, baring her teeth and breathing heavily. She growled at the teen and shot forward, not even allowing him to make his move, and whipped her open palm around sharply across his cheek with a resounding smack. The sound seemingly echoed through the arena, silencing the crowd and earning a collective wince from everyone present. She grabbed his mullet before he could fly out of the ring, holding the dazed teen partially up by his hair and glaring at him with fire in her eyes.

"Why do you boys always make fun of me for being a girl?! I can fight just as well as any of you jerks!"

Ikose couldn't respond, only moaning with his eyes rolling around in his head as he tried to recover from the sharp slap she had dealt him. The girl huffed and let go of his head, allowing him to fall the rest of the way to the ground before unceremoniously kicking him out of the ring.

_"Ouch! That has _got _to hurt! Watch out boys, our only girl competitor certainly has a powerful arm on her! Ria wins by combination knock-out and ring-out!"_

_ Ugh! I hate being a girl sometimes! I swear, nobody respects you unless you beat them senseless, and even then they don't get the hint half the time!_

She huffed and crossed her arms, glowering at the ground as she walked quickly down the steps and back towards the waiting room, grumbling the whole way. She rejoined her brother, who grinned at her in his usual care-free manner, and Trunks, who she glared at pointedly.

"See, didn't need any luck _Trunks_!"

"Whatever…"

The next few rounds went similarly to the first, with Trunks and Goten easily blowing through the competition. Ria was going through it just as easily, but felt her already short temper growing even thinner with every match. It was true, she was the only girl in the junior tournament, but was it absolutely necessary for _every _boy to want to "take it easy" on her because of it? The worst part was Trunks' constant teasing after each of her matches, where he'd spout similar comments as he had before her first match.

_He's supposed to be my friend and stick up for me! Why does he have to be such a jerk? He was sticking up for me earlier when that Idasa guy was gonna try and hit me... Not that I would let him, but still!... Why can't he just do that normally? And Goten hasn't said anything at all!_

She had elected to stay away from the boys after her last match, leaving her brother to look after her curiously, obviously not understanding why she was so upset. She glanced at the board and was slightly startled to see that it was already time for her brother and Trunks to have their fight, and that her side of the bracket was already completed. She was already in the finals, now she just needed to find out who she would be up against.

_"Alright fans! Now it's time for our second semi-final match between seven year old Goten and eight year old Trunks!"_

The two demi-saiyans stood and strode past her out to the arena, and she pointedly avoided looking at them. Goten pouted but kept walking, knowing well enough when to not test his sister. Ria sighed a moment after they left and made her way to the window to watch the match. In spite of her irritation, she still wanted to see how well her brother did.

_"Now these two boys are close friends outside of the tournament, but unfortunately only one can advance to the final round to face off against Ria. Will it be her twin brother, Goten? Or will it be their equally talented friend, Trunks? We will soon find out! Fighters, begin when you are ready!"_

The two boys squared off, settling into their usual stances. They had sparred regularly, often with Ria in the mix, but never had it been for anything besides their amusement. Now, both of their faces were set into a determined glare as they stared each other down, waiting for the other to make the first move. A calm settled over the arena as the crowd waited with bated breath for the tiny titans to begin. Goten broke the calm, shattering it with a yell as he darted forward, throwing a punch towards Trunks' face. The lavender haired boy ducked beneath it, swinging his leg around to sweep his friend's leg out from under him, only to find said leg had followed him and was well on it's way to colliding with his skull. He blocked it and pushed off from it, sending the Son boy skidding backwards and shooting after him.

The crowd was stunned into silence. Sure, they had seen the two of them plowing through the competition like it was nothing, but the level of speed and agility they were displaying right now was beyond their comprehension. Even the Z-fighters, bar Gohan and Vegeta, seemed surprised at the level with which they traded blows. Goku was gripping the seat in front of him, watching his son with a wide smile on his face.

"Wow, they're really powerful… I mean _really _powerful!"

Videl, who had never actually seen the twins spar while training with Gohan, was openly staring at the two of them going at it, her mouth hanging open slightly.

"Yea… No kidding…"

The fight generally began to pick up momentum along with the cheering, until only those trained to follow the fights with their ki instead of their eyes were able to follow their every move. For a minute the two continued to trade blows, until Goten accidentally set himself off balance and Trunks kicked him in the gut, sending him careening out of the ring. The crowd collectively gasped, expecting the fight to end there, but Goten threw his ki backwards, halting himself in mid-air. Trunks' confident smirk fell off his face and he glared at the Son twin, who chuckled and flew back into the ring. The crowd suddenly broke into cheers, and the two of them continued their fight.

_"Oh my… It's been many years since I've said this folks, but it appears that our contestants are capable of flight! I haven't seen anything like this since the twenty-third!"_

Their fight took to the air suddenly, sending shock waves through the crowd as they watched. Now, even Gohan was watching in awe at the progress the two boys had made. They were very close to evenly matched in skill, but it appeared that Trunks had a slight advantage in strength. He blocked a sloppily thrown punch from Goten and spun his leg over-head to contact the boy in the skull, sending him plummeting to the ring below. He caught himself and landed on his hands and feet, looking up just in time to see Trunks darting down towards him with a leg already extended in a kick.

"WHOA!"

He jumped forward, barely avoiding the aerial attack and unintentionally sending himself staggering forward as he tried to regain his footing. Trunks capitalized on his mistake, spinning and throwing his arm forward simultaneously. A pale yellow ki blast erupted from his hand, careening towards the Son boy, much to the surprise of all watching. Goten barely had time to register the blast before it hit him in the back, sending him shooting out of the ring towards the stands, trailing smoke from his singed gi. Ria watched irritably as her brother fought to control his momentum, slowing himself until he finally stopped with a painful slowness…

With his feet against the stands, outside the ring.

_Oh that cheater!_

"Aww man!"

_"And Goten has, unfortunately, landed outside of the ring! Trunks is the winner, and will be advancing to the finals! Ladies and gentlemen, we will take a five minute break before the last match!"_

Amidst the annoyingly loud cheers of the crowd, Goten clambered back over the wall and marched back towards the ring with a disappointed frown on his face. Trunks scratched his cheek nervously, watching as his best friend advanced on him.

"Trunks! That wasn't very nice, you cheated! We all agreed 'no ki blasts' before we even got here!"

"Sorry Goten, it was a reflex! I saw an opportunity and I took it! I'll make it up to you, I promise!"

Goten pouted and crossed his arms, glaring at the lavender haired boy at the edge of the ring.

"How are you going to do that? I was gonna win the prize money and be rich like you."

Trunks considered him for a moment, his expression thoughtful. He hesitated slightly before grinning at his friend and extending his hand towards the black-haired demi.

"Look, if I win I'll buy you ten of whatever toys you want! Will that work?"

The Son boy continued to glare for a moment, considering his friend with a critical eye. His face cracked into his normal broad grin, and he grasped onto Trunks' hand to be pulled back up into the ring.

"Okay. I can live with that!"

Together, the two of them made their way towards the waiting area, pausing at the entrance to get encircled by the excited group of junior fighters who were bombarding them with questions and praising their strength and speed. The two of them chuckled nervously, unsure what to do with all the attention. Ria took a deep breath, willing herself to stay calm.

_It's not their fault that the others are so amazed by that fight. They both went all-out… I'm just surprised that Trunks won. He might have cheated, but he had Goten against the wall the whole time… He's not that much better than him is he? I'll have to take him down fast…_

_ "Alright folks, with our intermission out of the way, would Ria and Trunks please make their way to the ring?"_

Ria unfolded her arms and marched past the group of junior fighters gathered at the entrance. She heard several murmurs behind concealing hands as some of the kids began questioning her ability to fight Trunks successfully. Her temper flared again, and she had to force herself to keep walking.

_What? I'm Goten's _twin sister_! We're as close power-wise as any two people can get without manipulating our ki, but I'm smarter! I bet it's the whole "_meh shes a girl bla bla bla"_ stuff! Jerks!_

She trailed Trunks slightly as she made her way out in front of the crowd, wrestling with her anger. She quickly mounted the steps and took her place in the ring, shaking out her short hair and tightening the sash on her kimono, composing her face into what she hoped was a neutral expression. Trunks took his place across from her, sneering confidently at her in a way that forcefully reminded her of Ikose's expression at the beginning of the tournament. She barely registered the announcer's speech as he gave them the go-ahead to begin the fight, and settled into her stance. Trunks did likewise, his smirk never leaving his face.

She growled and lunged forward, fueled by her anger at his arrogance, and began a barrage of quick strikes at the lavender-haired boy, testing his defenses. He blocked each one confidently, dancing backwards as she advanced at him.

_Alright there Trunksie, let's step it up a notch!_

She shifted tactics, changing her stance slightly and pushing more power into her attacks, staggering him back slightly with a particularly hard side-kick that connected with his gut. She smirked and settled herself back into a defensive stance, waiting for him to recover. He winced and smirked right back, rubbing his stomach.

"Pretty good… for a girl!"

"Shut up!"

She burst forward, completely disregarding her previous intention to allow him to make the next move, and began her attack anew. She threw punch after punch, failing to make contact once now. Trunks didn't even attempt to hit her back, instead just choosing to block or dodge. Her anger threatened to boil over now, every time she saw his arrogant face glaring back at her she felt herself slipping more and more into her rage.

"Fight back you jerk!"

Trunks appeared slightly taken aback by her outburst, and she finally connected an upper-cut with his jaw, sending him floating into the sky. She rushed forward, intent on meeting him when he came back down, but halted abruptly when he didn't. He just sat there, glaring down at her with a slightly upset grimace.

"But mom always told me not to hit girls…"

"GRRRRAH! I DON'T CARE! Fight me!"

Disregarding the burn that started to permeate her muscles, she took to the air after him, and began her attack anew. Her first two attacks went un-answered, meeting with his face and sternum without resistance, but on the third, he blocked her punch and responded with a side-kick that hit her in the ribs hard. She grunted, but took the hit without complaint, allowing the adrenaline flowing through her veins to block out the pain.

They were really going at it now, and Ria was pushing herself harder than she had ever fought before. The combination of her anger at Trunks and her desire to prove herself better in spite of being a girl sent her to new limits, and the both of them soon began showing the strain. They were both bruised, and she was bleeding from the corner of her mouth where the boy had driven his heel in a particularly hard spin-kick. Their uniforms were ruffled, though neither of them had torn anything as of yet, and ki blasts hadn't made an appearance yet. The cheers of the crowd were silent to her as blood pounded in her ears, making her all but blind to everything besides the boy before her.

A couple minutes of their hard fighting, and Ria felt herself beginning to tire rapidly. She fought to maintain her pace, but burned out quicker than she had ever anticipated. She made the mistake of dropping her left guard, and Trunks landed a hard hook that dazed her, sending her careening towards the ring. She recovered quickly, panting and bracing herself as she landed on her feet. Unable to hold herself up, she collapsed onto one knee, placing a hand on the ground for support and glaring at the boy as he descended to the ring as well. Just the slow way he did it hit her as taunting, and she gritted her teeth, her tunnel-vision beginning to close in tighter as she glared at him. He landed lightly and crossed his arms, smirking down at her yet again. She slammed her eyes shut, defeat welling up in her, refusing to look at those calm blue eyes of his or that arrogant expression of his.

Until he spoke…

"I told you Ria, you can't beat me! Boys are naturally stronger than girls!"

She completely lost it. All self-restraint she had left dropped away and she felt her rage boil over, shooting a jolt through her mind and burning through her blood. Her saiyan side kicked in, and she felt nothing but the desire to make him hurt for the mental anguish he was causing her. She clenched her fists tight, pounding one into the tile and sending dust flying up around her as her breath became shallow and ragged.

"You... Stupid… JERK!"

She staggered to her feet as she seethed at him before throwing her head back and letting loose a scream to the sky.

***IN THE STANDS***

_ Come on Ria… You can do it… You can beat him, just don't give up!  
_

Gohan clutched the back of the seat in front of him, watching his little sister as she struggled to remain upright in the ring below. Trunks had just floated down to meet her in the ring, and Gohan had to admit he was surprised with how tough the mini-prince was. He knew full well the extent of the powers that the two of his siblings possessed, but Trunks met them all head-on, demonstrating an endurance he had not anticipated from the demi. Ria had certainly had him when it came to skill, landing far more than she received, but he just weathered it so well. And now he was _taunting _her.

There was no doubt in his mind that that's what was happening. But it was short-lived. He felt his sister's ki spike dangerously, once – She pounded a fist into the tile floor of the ring, sending a plume of dust up from the now shattered floor and staggering Trunks slightly – Twice – she yelled something at the other demi-saiyan, slowly staggering to her feet while the dust she had kicked up began swirling around her – and on the third time she screamed, standing straight and throwing her arms out to the side. Her messy black hair floated upwards strand by strand, seemingly in slow motion, and sparks of gold shot through them, changing the midnight black locks blonde in bursts. Her ki skyrocketed, leaving Trunk's weakened one far behind, and her hair stood in an almost lazy fashion, holding their glowing gold color as a bright golden aura burst up around her.

The audience went completely silent, including the z-fighters. The first female human-saiyan hybrid returned her gaze to the lavender-haired boy before her, fists still clenched at her sides. Trunks visibly gulped, taking a hesitant step back from the girl, but Gohan only had eyes for his sister.

_Holy shit! She really just transformed! No way!_

"A… female… s-super saiyan…"

Gohan cast his dumbstruck gaze towards Vegeta, whose shocked mutter settled in his mind, confirming what his eyes were seeing. In spite of his state of shock, he smiled and returned his eyes to the girl, pride welling up in his chest.

_A female super saiyan… My sister is the first! And… wow she's now taken my title of youngest as well… Kami I can't believe it!_

***BACK IN THE RING***

Ria wasn't sure what happened, all she knew is that now her muscles were responding, and her senses sharpened. She glared at Trunks, taking in his dumbfounded expression with no small amount of amusement. Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, she took advantage of his surprise to lunge forward and drive her fist into his gut, doubling him over as the wind was knocked out of him. She quickly grabbed onto his wrist and jumped over him, dragging him in a wide arc as she flipped and landed on her rear, using her heels to drive the boy face-first into the tile with a loud thud. She locked her legs over the top of his shoulder and pushed up on his arm in an arm-bar, causing the boy to cry out in pain. Twisting his wrist slightly in her grasp, she locked her muscles, snarling down at him as his fearful eyes stared back at her.

"Take it back Trunks! All of it!"

Trunks cringed as her grip on his wrist tightened, and he squirmed against her, desperate to get out of her hold.

"Trunks! Say it!"

"N- AAAHH! F-fine! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

His legs were kicking against the tiles now in a futile attempt to weasel his way out. He pushed with his free hand, only to find that it hurt his shoulder more than just lying there and taking it.

"Sorry for what trunks…?"

"NNNGH! S-sorry… for saying you were weak! AAHH!"

Ria applied a little more pressure with her hands, pushing his arm back until she could feel the strain becoming dangerously tight.

"And…?"

"I give! I give!"

She released his hand and rolled backwards, flipping herself up onto her feet with her hands and grinning down at the panting boy.

"See, I win!"

Cheers erupted all around her, crashing down on her sensitive ears all at once. She jumped, suddenly remembering that she was in the middle of a public setting. As quickly as it had come, the energy that had flooded her senses dissipated, and she felt light-headedness come over her. Her lungs suddenly seemed like they weren't holding enough air and she collapsed onto her rear as exhaustion set in.

"What in the world?..."

She held herself propped up on her hands, blinking away the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm her. Trunks was shakily pushing himself up, looking at her with pure awe. She panted, ignoring the excited yells of the announcer as he proclaimed her victory, and focused on him with a confused expression. Worry welled up in her as she remembered what exactly she had done to him.

"What? You're not hurt are you?"

Trunks managed to roll himself over into a sitting position, and he weakly smiled at her.

"Well, no not really… Just my pride."

"Haha, sorry trunks but it had to be done!"

His smile faded and he stared at her with awe again, making her slightly nervous.

"Ummm Trunks?"

"What was it like? How'd you do it?"

She was slightly taken aback, and blinked at him a few times, trying to understand what he was asking. How was _what_? Trunks awe gave way to open skepticism.

"Oh come on Ria, don't tell me you don't realize what you just did?"

"Ummm… No… What did I do?'

"Super-saiyan of course!"

Her mind numbed as the words washed over her. She could only stare at him blankly until she was abruptly brought out of her shock by the form of Goten, who tackled her excitedly.

"Ria Ria Ria you did it you won! I-can't-believe-it-you-went-super-you-gotta-show-me-how-to-do-that-it-was-so-cool!"

Still barely registering what had just transpired, she stared off into nothingness, running it over in her mind.

"S-super…"

**A/N: HAHA who saw that one coming? Yes, I did say that I didn't agree with the kids being super-saiyan so early in the anime, but only because they didn't have a reason to, and because it was such a down-played transformation for them! Some of you may think that my reason for Ria transforming is weak, but never under-estimate the power of bottled up emotions when it comes to the female species (yea I said species!), even more so if they have saiyan blood and a short fuse. More to come later! Stay tuned!**


	23. Ghosts from the Past

**Well guys, unfortunately things are going to slow down update-wise for the next month or so while I make my transition of moving back home. Rest assured, I have not abandoned you all! Anyways, this chapter is more of a filler than anything while I work out the next couple chapters (funny thing I wrote a large portion of them before I did this one). Not to say it's not important, there's always something of importance in my work, no matter how insignificant it may seem at the time. I'm loving the reviews, keep them coming! Seriously you guys are the reason that I am so passionate about this story, and I take your words to heart. R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 23: Ghosts from the Past**

_"Ladies and gentlemen the junior champion of the twenty-sixth world martial arts tournament; Ria Son!"_

Ria nervously shuffled her feet, blushing at the uproarious cheering raining down on her from the crowd. It had taken her a few minutes to recover enough from the shock and exhaustion of transforming the first time, which the announcer was all too willing to give her. A few monks had come out onto the ring to clean up the two demi-saiyans, cleaning the blood from the side of Ria's face and checking them for additional injury. Even the incessant babbling of her twin couldn't bring her down off of the high that had come immediately after the shock of learning what she had accomplished. The only thing that was bugging her now was…

_How did I do it? I didn't even know that I transformed until after I already turned back normal! I wasn't even trying to go super!_

She halted her thoughts at the sight of her family, now no longer in the stands with the others, but congregating by the entrance to the waiting area. Happiness bubbled up in her at the sight of her mother and father, clapping excitedly along with the crowd and beaming at her and the other two demis on the stage with her. But that bubble swelled and nearly exploded with happiness at the look her elder brother was giving her. She wasn't nearly as naïve as her twin, and knew that a lot of times the smile he wore was just a façade. But this was one of the rare times where she had absolutely no doubts that he was genuinely happy. Pride practically gushed from the eldest demi-saiyan, and the little girl's spirit soared. Her brother looked so happy, and it was _her _doing!

Just like before, she had the urge to run and jump into the welcoming embrace of her family, but held her ground as was requested of her by the announcer. She and Trunks were still awaiting their awards for the tournament, and though the fighters in the adult division had already been called to the waiting area, even her parents were asked to stay on the side-lines until the awards ceremony was complete. So she waited, grasping Gotens right hand with her left and standing next to a rather put-out looking Trunks.

_"And here today to give the junior champion and runner up their prizes, is none other than the world savior; Hercule Satan!"_

_ Awww do I have to get it from him? He's so goofy looking! And he looks like he smells too…_

As promised, the champ appeared, sending the crowd into an uproar of enthusiastic cheering. He brushed past her family, carefully staying out of the reach of her older brother, much to her amusement. He smartly marched towards the arena, standing straight and recomposing his frightened expression into one of calm confidence. He mounted the steps and grinned down at the both of them, extending his hand towards the announcer. The blonde man dropped the microphone in his outstretched hand and Hercule turned to the crowd, ushering in a silence as they waited excitedly for him to speak.

_"Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my pleasure to be here to award these two outstanding fighters for their performances today! I personally have not seen such a good fight in a junior division since my own daughter won the tournament five years ago! Fortunate for them, she's now old enough to be competing in the adult division! HAHAHA!"_

_ Oh come on! I love you and all Videl, but doesn't your dad realize that we're way beyond what you're capable of now, even more so than five years ago? I mean, you just learned about ki this month really!_

But the crowd ate up the words of the world champion, cheering ever more enthusiastically. The man smirked, nodding and pausing his speech to allow the cheer to die out. As the ruckus slowly faded, the man chuckled lightly, bringing the microphone back up.

_"But be that as it may, these two have fought well! Now, it is my pleasure as the guest of honor to present the champion; Ria, with a check for ten million Zeni, and the runner up; Trunks, with a check for five million! Gentlemen!"_

The crowd roared their approval, nearly deafening the three demi-saiyans. A monk brought forth a pair of obscenely huge white checks bearing the tournament logo in the background. He presented the first to Trunks, clapping the boy on the shoulder and nearly hiding him behind the large piece of cardboard. A slight pang of worry jolted through Ria's mind as she again noticed her friend's downcast expression.

_Why so glum Trunks? It's not like I totally beat you, I transformed… and you just got five million zeni richer…_

Resigning herself to talk to her friend about it later, she patiently waited as the big fighter beamed for a monk with an old-fashioned camera to take their picture. Slightly puzzled at their choice for hardware, she glanced around at where she knew there to be video cameras like the ones they used to film movies.

_Oh… what happened?_

The first one she saw was being fussed over by a pair of technicians, who were busy digging about the inner-workings of the machine. Several burnt out and discarded parts lay about the platform where they stood, momentarily confusing the Son girl. Her twin noticed her confused expression and traced her gaze before grinning at her.

"Oh yea, heh heh… When you transformed a lot of the cameras out there… uh… poofed?"

She cocked her head to the side, critically staring at her brother for his unusual choice of words.

"Poofed… You mean exploded?"

The boy pouted, furrowing his brow in concentration.

"No, they didn't really explode… They kinda just, started smoking and a couple people looked like they got zapped by that lightning you get from a doorknob when you're wearing socks! They just… poofed!"

Ria continued to stare at him a moment, mulling over his explanation in her mind before she figured out what he was referring to. She remembered watching Gohan work on something at Capsule Corp. with a green board with metal nubs all over it when he "Short circuited" it, as she recalled him saying. It smoked a little bit, and when he discarded the little green thing, it looked burnt. She didn't really understand what had happened, but she reasoned that it had been burned by something like ki since there was no obvious heat source. Glancing back at the camera crews, realization dawned on her and she felt a rather heavy amount of embarrassment settle on her.

_I guess I must have accidently burned those parts when I transformed… Oops!_

Just then, Hercule moved on from the lavender-haired boy and presented her with her check, which was so large she could barely see over the top of it when she held the bottom of it, even with her arms stretched out as far as they could go. Goten assisted her, holding one end of the large piece of cardboard so that she could step to the side of it and into the view of the camera. Hercule stood directly behind the check, placing a hand on the shoulders of the twins and giving a confident smile. Ria flinched at the sudden contact, but recovered quickly and gave a weak smile for the photographer.

_ "Now, ladies and gentlemen, with the junior competition completed, we will go on a twenty minute intermission! Please feel free to visit our food court, stop by the gift shop, and make any bathroom breaks before the start of the adult division! Our tournament will be started off with a surprise brought to you from the Waves and Rocks studios in East city, and then we will begin the fights! Today is going to be a doozie, with many of the competitors returning from a very long absence to test their skills in the ring once more!"_

As soon as the words left the announcer's mouth, Ria took off in the direction of her family with a huge grin on her face, dragging Goten along at the other end of the check still clutched in her arms. Gohan stepped out into the light as she approached, meeting her part-way and scooping her up into his arms. Immediately she released the cardboard check in her clutches and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, letting all of her excitement burst forth.

"Gohan! I did it! I did it!"

"Yea squirt, you did."

His throaty chuckle vibrated through his chest and into her, tickling her slightly. He stooped, and she could feel him pick up her twin, who happily clung to his gi-front with his usual grin plastered on his face. Gohan hefted the two of them, cradling them each on one of his arms and strode back into the waiting area with them where their parents were patiently waiting for them.

No sooner had they made it through the doorway than Chi Chi immediately let go of her self-restraint and leapt forward to envelop all three of her children in a huge hug.

"Oh my babies! You did so well! I'm so proud of you!"

Gohan nervously shifted, blinking in surprise a couple times while the twins struggled to breathe being sandwiched between their mother and older brother.

"Ummm I havn't competed yet mom…"

"Ugh! Can't I be proud of you too? You trained them!"

Goku joined his family, beaming up at his oldest and gently prying his wife off of him so that he could relieve him of Goten's tiny form, still clutching the Check.

"Gotta say Gohan, you really did well with them. To be honest I don't think I could have taught them any better, just judging by their performance out there."

Ria noticed a change in Gohan's attitude, ever so slightly as their father praised him. His smile remained on his face, but his eyes lost a lot of the light that they had held moments before. One glance at her father and brother proved they didn't notice it, but she had learned to look for it. Gohan cleared his throat once, shifting his gaze down to meet hers.

"I dunno about that one dad. Goten and Ria are both naturally gifted when it comes to fighting. To be honest I didn't really do too much training with them until recently. I didn't want them to need to fight If I could do anything about it."

The words echoed in Ria's head, like she had heard them before, and for a short while everything tuned out as she concentrated on a random spot on his gi, trying to remember where she had heard that before. Her searching was interrupted however by a particularly harsh and gruff voice sounding off behind her.

"So. How did you do it brat?"

She jumped a little, craning her neck around to look down at Vegeta from her high vantage point in Gohan's grasp. His face was surprisingly neutral, and she noted that Trunks was standing by him with his arms clasped behind his back and his expression down-cast.

"How did I…?"

His expression remained neutral, but she noticed a slight flash of irritation cross his eyes.

"I've been training Trunks for years, trying to get him to transform. How did you transform? What caused it?"

_Good question, I'm still trying to figure it out too…_

"I don't really know Mr. Vegeta… I mean I was getting really mad at Trunks, but I was really tired too! I could barely move, and then he said I couldn't beat him because I'm a girl... And..."

She paused, furrowing her brow in concentration as she tried to understand what happened. She glanced up at Gohan and saw to her surprise that he was smirking, giving her a look that said he knew exactly what happened.

"Her temper snapped Vegeta, just like mine does when I get pushed too far. Remember, all three of these kids are at least as strong as I was when androids nineteen and twenty appeared. They have the power, the only thing missing is a trigger."

She returned her gaze to the short prince, who she was surprised to see was smirking as well, looking upon her with what she could only describe as pride. He shifted his gaze down to his son and crossed his arms.

"Well Trunks, what did you learn today?"

The boy shuffled his feet nervously, failing to raise his eyes to meet those of his father's.

"Not to drop my guard… and… I need to get stronger."

Ria felt a slight heat fill her face at his words.

"But Trunks, you're definitely stronger than I am, and I transformed! If I didn't then you would have won for sure."

"Well yea, but you did transform and you did win! I always thought I was going to be the first one to do it…"

"She's right son. No, the thing I want you to take away from this, and make sure you remember it because it may very well save your life later…"

He paused, still smirking down at his son. The Son family watched him quizzically, wondering what the Saiyan prince was getting at.

"...Whatever you do, _never_ piss off an earthling woman, _especially _if she has Saiyan blood. More often than not she will make your life miserable, or simply kill you."

Ria and Chi Chi both flushed, looking at each other for a moment as they realized how true his statement was. Besides Gohan, the only people that the Prince seemed to fear were Bulma and Chi Chi. Gohan started quaking slightly, and Ria looked up at him worriedly to see if he was alright, only to find him suppressing his laughter. He took one look at her blushed face and lost the fight, letting loose a hearty chuckle that vibrated her bones.

Her mother rolled her eyes, huffing and taking Ria from her son's arms as Goku, Goten, and Trunks joined in, either because of understanding or because the laughter was infectious. Bulma made her presence known as she grabbed her son's hand and smiled deviously at her husband, who suddenly seemed wary of the woman.

"Yes dear, but there are far worse things that can be done as well. Just think, that couch could get quite comfy out in the living room."

Vegeta immediately caught onto her implication and paled slightly. She leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek, leaving him in his own personal world of imaginative horror and started to lead her son by the hand towards the exit with a warm smile to the others.

"Well good luck guys! We need to clear out of here now so you guys can prepare. We'll be in the stands rooting for you!"

Chi Chi quickly perked up, immediately forgetting her irritation and standing on her toes to peck her son on the cheek before quietly whispering in his ear.

"Gohan sweety, it might be a good idea to change back now."

He nodded, immediately glancing around for a secluded spot. His eyes halted on the forms of Shin and Kibito as they made their re-entry into his senses. His stomach jolted as he realized he had completely forgotten about the two of them in the excitement of his siblings' matches.

_Dammit! Who knows what they were up to when I wasn't looking?_

He was brought back to the now by his mother firmly squeezing his shoulder with her free hand and glaring at him worriedly.

"Gohan what is it?"

He tore his eyes from the two mysterious figures as they watched the family interact to meet her gaze. He put on what he hoped was a reassuring smile and ruffled his little sister's hair.

"Nothing mom, don't worry about it. You did well today squirt, I'm proud of you."

"Thanks Gohan! Good luck, I hope you win!"

He chuckled lightly, smoothing her hair out only to have it spring back up in the crazy nest it usually looked like.

"Thanks Ria, we'll all go out for dinner after the tournament okay?"

She grinned and nodded excitedly, and Gohan felt a tug on his hand. Looking down, Goten was staring up at him with a slightly upset expression that immediately hit Gohan straight in the heart.

"Hey big brother, will I be a super saiyan too? I wanna be like you and Ria."

Gohan knelt down before his little brother, looking him right in the eye with a warm smile on his face. He gently mock-punched the little boy's chin and spoke in low, gentle tones to him.

"Hey, you just keep at it there sport. Remember, you're already stronger than I was at your age. You'll get there, just don't try to rush it okay?"

The mini-Goku's face cracked into a wide smile and he nodded before lunging forward to hug his older brother. Gohan returned the hug, feeling a strange sensation pulling at his gut as he held the boy, and suddenly he didn't want to let go. He hesitated there, holding his brother, wondering what was causing the feeling. Dismissing it for him to think about later, he released his hold on the child, gesturing for him to go with their mother before standing and striding from the room with one last wave good-bye over his shoulder to find a place to change.

He rounded the corner of the building, and glanced around to make sure nobody was watching. He raised his wrist to chest height and brought his other hand up to press the buttons when he felt it again. He halted, furrowing his brow and examining the feeling in his gut. He wanted to call it dread, but it wasn't like any dread or worry he had felt before. Dread implied that there was something coming that would spell doom for him or someone he cared about, but there was nothing to his knowledge besides the departure of his father, which he was not inclined to think about. Whatever it was made no sense to him, and he shook his head to try and rid his thoughts of it. With a short grunt, he pressed the buttons, disappearing in a flash and reappearing wearing his armor and hood.

He returned to the waiting area just as Goku was saying farewell to his family. Chi Chi gave him a firm but quick kiss and then left with the children in tow, carrying the cardboard check under her arm. Still uncomfortable with the idea of speaking with his father at the moment, he took in the rest of the competition that was steadily trickling in. Piccolo was across the room from him, leaning against the wall with a firm scowl on his face. Gohan was about to make his way over when he was gently bumped by a small figure to his left. Without looking he knew it was Videl, and she seemed to be just as curious about the Namekian's demeanor as he was.

"Hey Gohan is he usually like that? I mean… all frowny?"

He quirked an eyebrow at her, giving her a sideways glance of skeptical amusement.

"Frowny?"

"Shut up, you know what I mean."

"Hmmm… Yea, but not this bad. Something is definitely bothering him, and I think I know what it is."

She looked up at him, piercing the side of his head with her sharp gaze.

"Mind letting me in?"

He shook his head, never tearing his eyes away from his former mentor.

"Not yet Videl, it might be nothing. There's no point in worrying you if he's just being paranoid."

"Hmph… You're one to talk about being paranoid."

"Just… Let me handle it okay? Whatever's going on, let me take care of it."

He could feel her glare burning into the side of his head, and heard the rustle of her clothing as she crossed her arms. He furrowed his brow and shifted his gaze to her, silently letting her know that she didn't have a say in the matter. They fought their silent battle, onyx and cerulean, until she relented, sighing and nodding her head in defeat. He took a step towards his mentor before her hand shot out and grabbed onto his arm, pulling him up short.

"But if shit hits the fan, you tell me okay? I may not be nearly as strong as you, but I can still help."

He tensed, wincing at her words. He knew he should have known better than to expect she would just leave it at that, it was in her nature to help others. After all, it was one of the things that attracted him to her. Knowing that she wouldn't take no for an answer, he simply nodded to her.

_I'll tell you if you want, but don't expect me to let you put yourself in any real danger. I just hope that whatever I'm feeling, and whatever Piccolo is feeling, is wrong._

She released his arm with a satisfied nod and watched after him for a moment as he strode towards his old master. Lost in thought for a moment, she didn't realize that her eyes had automatically gravitated towards his ass.

_Left. Right. Left. STOP IT BRAIN! God I need to stop hanging out with Lime and Erasa!_

'Or you could take their advice.'

_No, not yet. We agreed to go slow, and I don't want to accidentally push him away._

'But that butt!'

_Yea I know. Shut it!_

She shook her head of her less than appropriate thoughts and decided to try and speak with Android 17, who was standing apart from the rest of the Z-fighters and watching the crowd through one of the windows.

***ACROSS THE ROOM***

Piccolo concentrated hard. There was definitely something wrong with Shin and Kibito. Their energy was elusive, yet strangely familiar. The problem was identifying which side of him recognized the two strangers' ki. It was one of those rare moments that Piccolo had no clue what to do. Were they more easily recognized as evil or even as good beings, Piccolo would willingly do battle with them in the tournament. But something just felt wrong about that thought when he imagined fighting Shin.

_Dammit! Who are you?!_

"Piccolo."

The tall Namekian jumped a little, his eyes flying open and darting about looking for the source of the voice, and he was surprised to see Gohan standing next to him and looking at the duo in question. He almost laughed in relief.

"Oh it's just you kid."

"You alright? I usually can't sneak up on you like that."

Piccolo turned his gaze upon the short purple man, taking in every detail again in a vain attempt to recognize him. Turning his thoughts to his closest friend's question, he let his musings come forth. Had it been anyone but Gohan, he would have held his tongue, but the boy meant more to the Namekian than even he knew.

"No, I'm not. I can't figure out this Shin guy, though I'm positive I've seen him before. Or someone like him at least."

One glance at his former pupil confirmed that he too was highly suspicious of the duo, though he suspected for a different reason.

"Yea, something rubs me the wrong way about them too. Dad just happens to get sent back to find these two, but he's not told why and they won't say? I smell Kai meddling, and I don't like what it's suggesting."

_Ah, the truth comes out._

Knowing that they were now treading dangerous territory, and an extremely sensitive subject when it came to the demi-saiyan, Piccolo carefully chose his words.

"That's part of my worry as well Gohan, but I'm more concerned as to who this guys is. If whatever he's here for is vital enough to send Goku back to the living realm, then he must be someone of importance. It sounds like Goku got ordered here by the Kai's, so I don't know if this is their decision, or Shin's. If it's Shin's, then that begs the question, who is he really to be asking for Goku?"

"Hmm… that's a good point Piccolo, I hadn't really considered it to be anyone besides the Kais' doing. You don't suppose… He can't be a kai can he? You've seen one up close and personal right?"

Piccolo flinched slightly at the malice laced into his voice as he posed his question. If he were a Kai, the tall Namekian had absolutely no doubt that Gohan would probably take out seven years' worth of hatred and bottled up anger out on him. Inspecting the short man again however, and Piccolo felt somewhat assured he was right in his guess that he was not, in fact, a Kai.

"Yes that's right, the North Kai, or as the others call him; King Kai. We know there's a Kai above him and the other three, but I don't know what he looks like. I don't think Shin is a kai, he doesn't fit the profile. I could sense King Kai's ki in otherworld as well. No, I think he's something else entirely. His ki is so strange, I don't actually know what the extent of his strength is, and that's worrisome."

_But then what if the Grand Kai _is _different than the others? If that were the case then it would make sense for Shin to be the Grand Kai in disguise. Dammit, what do I do if he is?_

"Hmph… well there's a way to find out Piccolo."

Already knowing full well what the demi was going to suggest, Piccolo turned his eyes expectantly towards his former pupil. Gohan met his gaze, and the Namekian could feel the tension crackle around the young man in the intensity of his glare.

"Fight him. Put him through his paces, and let's see just what he's made of. I get the feeling he will show his true colors sooner or later."

"Yea, that's what I'm afraid of."

_I stood against Cell, and had less doubts than I do right now, and I know practically nothing about this Shin guy._

He returned Gohan's hard stare, having an unspoken conversation just as they had done for so long during the boys training prior to Cell. He felt some of his resolve return, taking heart in the fact that if things went wrong, his friend would be there in a flash.

"Alright Gohan, you got it. We'll get him to come clean."

_I just hope I'm right about him not being a kai._

_ "Ladies and Gentlemen, if you would please return to your seats, the tournament will begin soon! At this time, would Pintar and Krillin please make their way to the arena?"_

Gohan shifted slightly, still watching the two strangers. He uncrossed his arms and sighed, glancing over to where Krillin was attempting to get by the behemoth of a man who was his competition and out to the ring, which was made more difficult by the giant's shoving.

"Well, we'll just have to wait 'til it's our turn then wont we? C'mon let's go watch, I wanna see Krillin take this guy down."

***WITH SHIN AND KIBITO***

"They're getting close master. That Piccolo character, he was the guardian of this world was he not?"

Shin clasped his hands behind his back, staring out the window he and Kibito were standing before. His gaze wasn't locked onto anything in particular, absently taking in the crowd outside and the two fighters making their way to the ring. He could feel the nervousness radiating off his body-guard in sheets, and despite his calm demeanor, he too was slightly shaken.

"Yes Kibito, Piccolo was the guardian of Earth, or at least part of him was. Part of him recognizes who we are, at least to some extent. His thought process is… sound. He may figure me out."

"What do we do? Our plan requires that they help us. You're no longer as strong as you once were."

Shin closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath of the fresh Earth air, racking his brain for solutions. While it had its advantages, his ability to see into people's minds at will was something of a curse as well. He had been observing the Earth's fighters' thoughts, particularly those who were close friends and family of Goku's. Of those, none stunned him more than Goku's eldest son. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that the boy was far beyond the level of mental trauma that he had expected.

"We continue with our plan. Those two, Spopovich and Yamu are obviously here on orders, we just need to make sure that nobody interferes. The biggest danger right now, besides the obvious, is Gohan."

"Hmmm yes he could be a problem. His… Attitude was not something that we had planned for. Such hatred for the Kai's…"

"What would you feel were you in his situation Kibito? To him, the Grand Kai stole his father from his life and forced him to face his demons for the last seven years. You stated it yourself my friend, we did resort to underhanded trickery to serve our purposes. For now we are fortunate he's only suspicious of us."

"And if he learns of your true identity?"

Shin opened his eyes and considered the tall Son boy out the corner of his eye, standing next to the short earth girl that had been with him before.

"He's unstable at best Kibito, I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to kill me if he found out my hand in all this. To be honest, if he's anything like his father, I don't think I would be able to stop him. Even before I was crippled, I doubt I would be a match for him or his father. No, we need to make sure he remains our ally."

"How do you propose we do that?"

"If we cannot keep our involvement a secret, then we will have to tell him what's afoot and hope he has enough self-restraint to stay his own hand. We must tread carefully, if those two don't lead us to the ship soon, there's no telling what might happen, and we both know that there is much more at stake than just this world."

"I understand master…"

They fell into a silence, watching as the announcer strode into the ring with the first to competitors.

***IN THE RING***

_"Ladies and gentlemen it is time! Please, if you would turn your attention to any of the screens mounted above the stands, we have a special presentation from the Waves and Rocks studios in East City! Many of you may have wondered about the events known as the Cell games. Well, thanks to some well-connected individuals, a movie has been created using some of the original footage from that fateful day, and we have an edited version to show you here today!"_

Krillin pulled up short, halting as his brain fuzzed out. His stomach jumped into his throat, and he immediately cast his gaze over his shoulder towards the building from which he came. The crowd didn't notice his sudden anxiety however, as they were so busy roaring in excitement about the prospect of finally seeing their champ beat Cell down. Krillin furrowed his brow and tried to control the panic that was starting to rise with the ki of his friends'. He knew that most of them would be mostly unaffected by the footage, but he knew a certain demi-saiyan who he never wanted to relive those moments.

_"Now unfortunately folks, a large portion of the footage _was _destroyed during the fight, and most of it was damaged or distorted. However the people of the studio have done a fantastic job recreating and restoring the events using state of the art computer programming, some live acting, and several years of hard work and dedication."_

Back in the waiting area, Videl couldn't believe what she was hearing. Anxiety jumped through her chest, stealing her breath as Gohan tensed beside her. She instinctively grasped onto his arm, glaring at the announcer in open disbelief.

"He can't be serious! Recreated? But if they know what happened, then…"

Her eyes widened even further, and she looked towards the others, who were either watching Gohan now, or watching the screens with a wary expression.

"Do they realize what might happen if they reveal the truth?"

Silence reigned and Videl began to panic more and more in her mind as she thought about the implications of what was about to happen. She nearly jumped out of her skin when a surprisingly soft masculine voice crawled into her senses from behind her.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only people who actually know what happened are those of us who were there, including Mr. Satan. I may not spend very much time around normal humans, but wouldn't that be unfavorable for all of us, especially the big oaf?"

She turned her worried gaze towards 17, letting his words settle in her mind. It was true; there were less than a score of people who knew what actually happened that day. But then, if there was a movie depicting what actually happened, then who would have given them the story? Gohan spoke, his voice surprisingly calm and focused considering how tense he was at the moment.

"I'm willing to bet they 'recreated' Hercule's version of the story. I know for a fact that none of us have spoken to the studio owners before, except perhaps Bulma. But she wouldn't reveal this. That leaves Hercule. And he's got a lot more to lose than any of us if the actual events got out."

His logic betrayed the feelings she could feel emanating off of him. While his eyes seemed clouded over slightly and completely neutral, he had begun quaking slightly. Now, all eyes were on him. Goku glanced nervously over towards Piccolo and Vegeta, the two of them reflecting his serious expression with a nod. He quietly walked over to his son, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Gohan, maybe we should go?"

His fist clenched suddenly, and he sharply turned his head towards his father to gaze at him out the corner of his eye.

"No… No, not this time."

Now his voice began to shake slightly as his eyes burned into his father's. He slowly returned attention to the screen at the back of the arena, his brow furrowed slightly.

"I… I have to see it…"

Goku stared at the back of his head for a moment longer, obviously conflicted about what he should do. Realizing that there was no way to change his son's mind, he turned to the screen as well, keeping his hand on its perch in case he needed to act swiftly. Videl worriedly stared up at him, sliding her tiny hand into his. She felt a tug at the corner of her lip as his hand softened slightly, allowing her to intertwine her fingers with his. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze just to let him know she was with him before she too turned her attention to the screen.

The logo of the studio appeared for a moment, and then faded into black as the footage from the lone camera crew present at the Cell games began to play. There, alone on his own personally-made stage was Cell in his perfect form. Gohan's hand flinched ever so slightly as his image appeared in full detail with which Videl had never really imagined. She had seen some rather poor quality pictures of the creature before, but now that she saw him with definition, she was truly disgusted. He was humanoid, but besides having two legs, arms and a head, there was nothing human about him. The insect-like carapace, the shelled head, everything, was just wrong.

_"Here we are, just twenty minutes from the start of the Cell games, and… by the looks of it no one seemed to show up for fear of their lives! As you can see, Cell continues to stand in the middle of the ring without moving a muscle. And with not a lot of time left until the opening bell, we're still awaiting the arrival of the peoples' grand champion: The one and only Hercule Satan!"_

It didn't take long for the "champ" to arrive, making his entrance in his black limo that he still kept to this day. The commentator praised him again and again, giving his boisterous approval when the Champ openly declared that cell was "going down". The champ turned to them and waved for them to go down to the ring, and the scene changed. Conveniently, the next scene was well after Hercule was done making a fool of himself before the whole world to Cell.

_"What the…? What is that?"_

_ "Hmph. What are you talking about?"_

_ "What do you think it could be?"_

Then, the Z-fighters began appearing, getting short introductions in mini-scenes. She'd seen bits and pieces of this before, but seeing it again in detail, she began to recognize the fighters. Vegeta was the first to appear, just as grumpy looking as normal, closely followed by some Giant of a man she vaguely remembered was a robot of some sort with a red Mohawk. Then the rest arrived in one big group. She recognized Goku, despite his blonde hair. There was the man, slightly shorter than Goku wearing armor like Vegeta's and lavender hair who she thought looked startlingly like an older version of Trunks. Piccolo was there, so was Tien, a bald Krillin and Yamcha. She inhaled sharply as she recognized one in particular, the eleven year old version of the man next to her wearing a gi almost identical to Piccolo's.

_He looks so different. I know it's him, but his face… The scar is the least noticeable difference, just look at his eyes! There's no lines, no trace of worry or anger. And they look so… bright. Kami I never realized just how dead his eyes really are until now._

The scene changed again, completely skipping the fights between Cell, her father, and his students.

_Hmph! Of course they would skip that bit of the footage! I might have been young the last time I saw it but I know that Dad and his two students got in the ring first. The more I see the more I think this was dad's idea._

_ "Now, let's get this tournament started shall we? Who will be first?"_

Cell's voice had been enhanced, but even with all the digital manipulation behind it, shivers of disgust still crawled up Videl's spine. Next to her, Gohan shuddered, his hand going rigid at the sound of the monster's voice. On screen, Cell turned towards the gathered Z-fighters, and the Camera followed to find Goku stepping into the ring. The two of them squared off against each other, and after what Videl could only conclude was a lot of cutting and editing, Cell announced the start of the match with a "ding".

Here, things got strange. There were parts of the movie that were obviously fabricated, most likely fillers for the portions where the two fighters couldn't be seen. The Camera was able to track for some of the original footage. That much she was positive about. The rest of it looked off ever so slightly.

_Well I admit, whoever did computer editing in this did a pretty damn good job. Some of these things are almost believable… _

Then the ring was gone, leaving a crater in the ground, with Cell proclaiming that the whole world was their ring now. The fight in the film was very quick, much faster than Videl remembered it being in the original broadcast. She also noted that almost all of the ki blasts were edited out as well, with the exception of one. Goku was floating in the air, hands cupped at his sides, and he was chanting the words to something that Videl couldn't quite make out. A blue basketball sized ball of ki formed in his grasp, and Videl faintly heard Cell gasp in fear.

_"No! Goku!"_

_ "No, don't do it! Please dad, don't!"_

_ "He wouldn't!"_

Then Goku disappeared, and from somewhere off-camera, a low hum of electricity suddenly popped into existence. The camera turned just as Goku let forth a loud roar, thrusting his hands forward and sending forth a monster blast from his palms. Videl felt her insides go numb as she realized what must have gone into such a blast. She had difficulty making a small ball of ki and throwing it, but he just released one that appeared to be large enough to take out a city by her reckoning.

_Okay, I know that these guys were way stronger than normal people, but exactly how capable are they? I still feel like I've barely scratched the surface here._

There was a bright flash of light, and when the smoke cleared, Cell was revealed to be missing everything from the abdomen up. But they had all seen the footage before, and just like the first time, Cell began to regenerate. Pulsing and oozing a strange grey liquid that rapidly formed into new body parts. She faintly heard Piccolo growl off to the other side of Goku from her.

"To think that disgusting… thing had some of my cells… It still makes me sick."

_Some of his cells? What does he mean?_

Realizing that there were many things she still didn't know, despite the vast amount of knowledge she had gained from the eldest Son child, she added more questions to her list of "things to find out". She returned her eyes to the screen in time to see Goku's infamous surrender. Then, the moment she had been waiting for with bated breath. She clutched onto the man next to her in anticipation as Goku flew to his son on the screen, speaking unknown words to him. The Gohan in the film nodded, his expression indiscernible. He stripped off the white cape he was wearing, revealing a surprisingly large amount of muscle packed onto his eleven-year-old body while the announcer mumbled about food and delivery boys.

_Gohan… The delivery boy. The child who defeated Cell. It's so strange looking at him in this video, knowing that he's right here next to me..._

Few words were spoken now on the film, and the fight between Cell and the delivery boy began. Just like the fight with Goku, it was cut and edited to the point of being almost too abrupt. She noted that they had even completely skipped the moment that Cell destroyed the tall red-haired robot. Then Gohan fell. She wasn't sure what had happened, but he was getting beat into the dirt. Cell was stomping on his chest, kicking him around, whatever he could, and yelling at the boy. She felt sympathy pains as she watched him get hit again and again, and she glanced up at his glazed over expression with tears in her eyes. She felt something clawing at her, an incessant itch in her gut that she needed sated.

"Gohan… Why? What was the point… of all of that pain?"

His eyes never left the screen, but she could see him swallow past what she could only assume was the horror of his memories.

"He tried to break me… mentally… To make me lose my temper."

"I don't understand! What does that mean? You were already transformed."

He only responded with a nod towards the screen. Taking his silent hint, she returned her attention to it, only to find the strange Cell juniors had already made their appearance. The camera was darting all over, taking in the carnage as one by one the Z-fighters fell to the onslaught. A strange clattering sound could be heard, and suddenly the camera shifted right to their front, centered on the head of the robot guy. There were a few yelps of shock from the crowd as well as on the footage as the head began to speak to them, asking Hercule to throw him to Gohan. The scene shifted again, and now the head of the robot was sitting before the now-battered Gohan.

"The strange thing is, it wasn't Cell who drove me over the edge… In the end, it was Android 16… He convinced me to let go… After Cell killed him… I did… I transformed a second time..."

She couldn't tear her eyes away from the screen, barely noticing the rock-solid grip that Gohan had on her hand, or the heavy breathing coming from him. The Gohan on the screen was staring in shock at the head of who she now knew to be an android. Cell confidently walked towards him, and Videl felt a sickening lurch in her stomach as she saw his heel descend on the android's head. Several of the people in the crowd screamed in horror as what appeared to be blood spattered everywhere, including the front of the super-saiyan before him. For a moment nothing happened, then Cell called something over his shoulder and turned to face the others.

The Gohan on the screen stood, the look on his face quickly taking on the enraged scowl she had seen him wear as an adult only once: When he had transformed in front of her the first time. His muscles visibly began to swell, and his hair began to spike even higher. Static crackled around him and with a scream to the sky… The screen went black.

_What?! What happened? Dammit!_

She turned her attention to the man at her side, noting that his eyes were still glazed over. To her surprise however, Goku appeared to be lost in thought as well. But his expression was different, full of pride. The screen flashed with white letters for a moment, reading "The footage from this point on was unrecoverable. Stand-in actors and computer generated footage have been used to tell the rest of the story". The scene came back, though obviously shot before a green-screen and layered with different effects to make it more theatrical. The boy they had picked as Gohan's stand in was noticeably older than eleven, probably in his early teens. He was wearing a blonde wig that spiked up in every direction, and his lean arms didn't do the real thing justice.

_Well now I guess we find out what the story is going to be…_

She almost immediately got her answer. Within seconds of coming back on screen the stand-in Gohan was immediately hit by a computer generated "laser" that burnt a giant hole in his left side. The crowd gasped in shock at the sudden apparent death-blow. The actor screamed and fell backwards dramatically, passing out when he hit the ground. In spite of the situation, she felt relief flood her at the image, knowing that they were going with the rendition that her father had given the world immediately after the games. She tore her eyes from the movie, instead looking up into the real Gohan's face, trying to see through the mask.

"What really happened?"

He didn't immediately respond. He continued to watch the film for a moment before slowly turning his gaze to meet hers. As soon as their eyes connected, she once again saw the depth of his anguish in those onyx orbs. She felt a sensation of guilt, the likes of which she had rarely felt before, come crashing down on her heart. For a split second, she wondered if she was feeling guilt for asking the question, or if she was feeling what she saw in those eyes. When his response came, it was low. So low, that she almost missed it.

"The lesser of two evils happened."

They stood in silence, and she couldn't take her eyes off of him. She searched his eyes, which were again staring at the screen with a glazed over look that told her he wasn't really watching.

_Lesser of two evils? He says he killed his father. I still don't think he could do that… He just transformed again, whatever that entails. I suppose it could have been that... But he's not evil. He's harsh, yes… but not evil._

The movie didn't last much longer after that, with a stand-in Hercule making his appearance after breaking Cell's "trick machine" and beating the computer generated monster into a pulp. The crowd roared their approval of the movie, clapping and stomping their feet at the champ's apparent prowess and intelligence. She noted that all of the Z-fighters featured in the video seemed to have survived the battle, with the exception of the "delivery boy", who died tragically before anyone could save him for suspense.

_"Ladies and Gentlemen the full, uncut version of the film you just watched is available for purchase at each exit, gift shop, and booth within this compound for only nineteen ninety-five!"_

Silence hung over the Z-fighters. Some stared at the now blank screen with incredulity written across their faces, while the others either looked nervously towards Gohan and Goku. The tension in the air was thick enough that Videl was certain she could have cut it with a knife. She held her breath, waiting for him to respond as the crowd outside continued to go wild. A heavy sigh fell from him and his shoulders visibly relaxed, and his eyes lowered to the ground. He loosed a short, hollow laugh that had absolutely no trace of amusement or joy in it.

"I think I prefer their version…"

She had no clue what to say to that, and evidently neither did his father, who once again took on a nervous expression as he watched his son.

_"Now, without further ado… Let us begin the fight and kick off the twenty sixth world martial arts tournament! Fighters! At the sound of the gong, you may begin!"_

Krillin took one last look towards where he could feel Gohan's ki beginning to level out, and returned his gaze to his voluminous opponent. He'd been worried for a few minutes there that the boy would have lost his cool, and the Z-fighters would have had to intervene. But, as opposed to all the other times anyone had ever brought Cell up, he had stayed relatively calm. The change in his behavior was puzzling to say the least for the short fighter. He silently reflected on everything that could have affected him so, ignoring the boisterous ranting of the giant in the ring with him.

_Goku's back, that could definitely be a contributing factor. We're all gathered for the first time since the party celebrating Chi Chi's pregnancy right after Cell… Eh I don't think that we have all that big of an impact on him anymore. Shoot he spent a large part of the last seven years avoiding most of us… Heh you know what, I bet it's Videl! He can deny it all he wants to, but I see the way he is around her even when he's trying to hide it. Hmm it's strange I always expected him to finally give in and take things up with Lime, they've been so close for years… It seems so sudden… Oh who am I kidding? I fell head over heels for 18 on the first day, now look at us!_

"Hey little man! You look scared! It's okay to be, when you're facing someone like me in a fight! You might think that because you are small, that you can outmaneuver me, but I tell you it is not so!"

He focused his eyes on the giant, who was sneering down at him and puffing his already massive chest out. Krillin grunted and crossed his arms in front of his chest, glaring up at the giant as his worries were pushed aside by the pompous arrogance. He opened his mouth to growl out an irritable retort, but hadn't even got the first word out before the gong sounded and Pintar leapt backwards, doing a series of backflips that were quite impressive coming from a man of his stature. With a definitive thud, he landed on both his feet before the short fighter in an attempt to shake him. Krillin just cocked an eyebrow and clamped his mouth shut, barely containing his irritation at the giant fool. Pintar grew a little red in the face before smiling confidently and planting his hands on his hips, leaning forward and over the small fighter before him.

"You think you're a tough guy huh? I'll tell you what shorty, I'll give you the first hit! Then you can see how hopeless it is to fight me, and maybe you'll do the smart thing and surrender!"

The words had barely left his mouth before Krillin took him up on his offer. He took one step forward and drove his fist into the gut of the giant man, burying his hand in his stomach all the way to his elbow. Pintar's eyes bulged in his skull as the considerable amount of wind was forced out of him and he let out a high pitched wail. Without waiting for him to recover, Krillin leaped up to grabbed him by the hem of his vest and proceeded to smack him repeatedly across the face in a back and forth pattern before driving his foot upwards beneath the giant's chin and sending him flying. The two of them landed at the same time, with Krillin lightly planting himself in the ring, and Pintar crashing head-first into the grass outside the ring.

_"Wow, I can't believe it folks! Krillin returns out of nearly twenty years of retirement and completely dominates Pintar! He advances to the next match! Give him a round of applause for that impressive display!"_

The crowd obliged him, letting forth a barrage of applause that rained down on the short fighter. Emboldened by the attention, he held up a hand in a victory sign and smartly marched off the platform to return to the waiting area. He chuckled nervously as he watched four monks struggle to roll Pintar onto a stretcher to be carried out of the arena.

_Heh, maybe I laid it on a little too thick? He didn't exactly have a chance in the first place…_

"_What a start for today's competition! Now, ladies and gentlemen, we have yet another competitor from the twenty-third tournament; Ma Junior versus the mysterious newcomer; Shin!"_

**A/N: I know, relatively uneventful chapter here. But rest assured, there is always a calm before a storm! Next chapter, things are going to get a bit more interesting. See you next time!**


	24. The First Rounds

**Oh herro! I know, I know it's been like a million years since I updated last(!) I'm sorry, things have been getting pretty hectic with my move back half-way around the world quickly approaching. I'm going to try and get one more chapter up before I leave in two weeks, but I can't make any promises unfortunately. However I'm going to have something like forty hours on a plane, so you can be sure I'll have at least one more chapter for you when I land back home. So anyways, here you all go! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 24: The First Rounds**

Piccolo cleared his throat and composed his face into its usual neutral glare as he made his way out of the waiting area. Shin followed closely behind him, his expression a mask of neutrality. The cheers of the crowd began to mix with a faint buzz as people took in the contestants for the first time. With his sharp hearing, Piccolo managed to pick out more than one conversation going on that took notice of the all too familiar figure before them.

_Hmm it seems that some of them have realized I was just on screen, even if it was for a short time... Which means they'll most certainly recognize Vegeta, Yamcha and Tien as well… You guys had better watch out, you might get some unwanted attention from this. I can escape the worst of it at least._

_ "Now, Shin is one of our newest contestants, and he's not really one for words folks so we know next to nothing about him. Does he have what it takes to take on Ma Junior; one of the finalists in what was possibly the most destructive tournaments this series has ever witnessed? I remember it like it was only yesterday folks, the amount of raw power this man is capable of is quite staggering."_

He flipped the switch on the mic and turned towards Piccolo, his expression much more somber than it had been addressing the crowd.

"And please, can we keep the ring in one piece this time big guy?"

The tall Namekian felt the corner of his lip twitch as the memories of his last match with Goku came back to him. He nodded his head with an amused grunt and turned to face his opponent. Shen was completely still, his face still neutral as he stared right back at the former guardian. Piccolo felt a pang of panic jolt through him as he again searched his memory for where he recognized him from.

_Dammit, I shouldn't be so affected by him! I've never seen him before in my life, and he doesn't look all that powerful… But then neither does any of the kids, and they could probably hold their own against me. _

He took a nervous glance towards the window where he could just barely make out the silhouette of Gohan, and their earlier conversation rang in his head. Steeling himself against his uncertainty, Piccolo gritted his teeth and took in his opponent again.

_Fine Gohan, you've got your fight. But I'm taking no chances…_

With that he reached up and pried his turban from his head, allowing the cool autumn breeze to blow across his sweaty brow. He tossed it to the side where it landed with a heavy thunk, and pulled his cape up and over his head, exposing his muscular form in all its glory. He heard the gasps of the crowd and growled in irritation.

_It's a good thing that Ria shorted most of the cameras here. Just to be safe though…_

He glanced around the crowd, spotting several that were toting smaller digital cameras and clicking away furiously at them. He flinched a little and shot his ki out to the devices, rupturing the lenses and frying the internals with a spark of light. Many of the people in the crowd jumped suddenly at the minor destruction of their cameras, looking despairingly down at the ruined devices.

_Well, that'll take care of that problem. All they have now is word of mouth, and what little pictures they can get with film cameras._

"Ma Junior hmmm? Oh you are very clever, but that probably wasn't necessary."

Piccolo started at the voice, returning his attention to the short purple skinned man. Uneasiness washed over him yet again, but he clenched his fists and got into his fighting stance nonetheless. The announcer, taking this as his cue, switched his mic back on and jumped from the ring, catching the attention of the audience once more.

_"Gentlemen, at the sound of the gong!"_

A tense few seconds passed, and Shin slowly lowered himself into a ready position. Another jolt of recognition shot through Piccolo's mind, and he narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the stance. It was oddly familiar to him, like he had seen it somewhere before, but not in a very long time.

_Who are you Shin?_

As if in response to his question, the short purple man smirked up at him, his eyes narrowing dangerously. Piccolo couldn't help but think that perhaps the short man had heard his unspoken question. His thoughts were interrupted by the loud ring of the gong, and for a moment neither of them moved. Their eyes clashed as each waited for the other to make their move. Throwing caution to the wind, Piccolo plunged into his pool of ki, throwing it back and down and shooting himself forward to close the distance with a loud war cry.

He rotated his torso and shot his arm forward in a straight punch towards the short man, but could not put as much power behind it as he wanted. His ki seemed unresponsive, like it didn't want to cooperate with his demands. The punch sailed right towards Shin's face, but he effortlessly sidestepped and blocked it with a casual flick of the wrist. Piccolo stood straight and shook his head, trying to understand why he had pulled the punch. He faced Shin again, whose smirk had left his face, leaving him looking contemplative towards the Namekian. With a snarl, Piccolo attempted to attack again, shooting low and attempting to sweep his legs out from under him. But Shin merely hopped over it when Piccolo's leg slowed mid-sweep.

_What in the world is wrong with me?! I'm not consciously doing this!_

Frustration welled up in his gut, burning into his limbs and willing him to fight harder. He widened the tap on his ki, opening the flow up to allow his full potential forth. His aura flashed white around him and he could feel the energy rush into his veins.

_No more games, I will figure you out Shin!_

Like before, the purple man's eyes narrowed and a smirk danced on his lips.

"I'm disappointed Piccolo… Come on then."

A shock jolted up the Namekian's spine as the mysterious figure uttered his name, too quiet for anyone else to hear. He growled deep in the back of his throat, glaring at the short man with an even deeper sensation of fear blackening his heart.

"You… Cannot know that name… Who are you?"

"That is for me to know, and you to continue to worry about."

The sardonic retort hit Piccolo as hard as one of Gohan's punches, and his temper slipped. He clenched his teeth and rushed the short man, intending on taking him out of the fight quickly. To his dismay, his first punch lacked the power he knew he possessed, and it was brushed aside yet again. He returned with another punch, then a kick, then another punch. All of his attacks fell short, leaving behind the power he knew he was capable of. Frustration exploded in him, and he lunged forward, driving a high knee towards the short man, and was surprised when it connected with the center of his chest.

Shin staggered backwards with a grimace on his face, clutching his chest with one hand. Piccolo was so shocked that he actually hit him that he barely caught himself and settled back into his stance. He felt a peculiar sensation of guilt flood him as Shin heaved a couple times to gain a second wind. He glanced up at Piccolo with a pained smile, recovering quickly.

"I've been out of it too long it seems. I fear what would have happened if you hadn't been restraining yourself."

_Restraining myself? How could he know that? I don't even know if I'm doing that! Who is…? No… No it couldn't be…_

He flashed his mind back to their fight, inspecting his fighting style once more. It was so familiar because he knew someone who's fighting style resembled it, though way less refined. Two people actually.

_Goku, right after he came back from the dead to face Vegeta and Nappa! And King Kai, his mentor! But that means… Shin is a Kai… One that has to be above the west Kai, which makes him…_

His blood ran cold at the realization. It made sense suddenly why he was subconsciously refusing to hit him. The Kami half of him recognized him for what he was, but Piccolo hadn't fully realized it. No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than Shen's face shifted quickly to a serious glare. Piccolo watched his eyes dart towards the waiting area and back before he shot forward, a red aura flashing around him for a split second as he boosted towards the Namekian. Piccolo, in his stunned state, didn't react in time, and Shin struck him with a quick three punch combo before kicking him square in the chest with a side-kick that threw him backwards. He landed heavily on his back, the tile of the ring cold against his bare arms and head. His muscles locked where they were, and he could only stare up at the sky as a foreign energy flooded his mind, rendering him paralyzed and shut out from the rest of the world.

_**You are correct in your assumption Piccolo, I am indeed a Kai... Specifically I am the supreme Kai, one of the remaining greater Kai's of this universe. I know that you also are aware of a certain half-Saiyan who bears no small amount of ill-will towards my race. Whatever your personal feelings are, you must realize I would not be here without a purpose, one with which Gohan, or any of you for that matter, cannot interfere.**_

The sounds of the arena and the blue of the sky slowly faded back into focus, and Piccolo's mind started working of its own will again. The crowd was screaming down at him, and the rhythmic chant of the announcer finally broke through to him.

_"…Nine… Ten! Ladies and gentlemen, Shin is the winner of the second match!"_

_ Shin… The Supreme Kai… Dammit, what is going on here?_

He pushed himself up into a seated position, casting his stunned gaze around until he found his query. Shin was only a few short feet away, and looked slightly pale and winded, like he had been exerting a lot of energy. He composed his face into a neutral, passive expression and stared down at the former Kami.

"I assure you, you will find out soon. Until then, please keep this knowledge to yourself. If you value the lives of those on this planet, as well as any other planet in this universe, you will let me do what I need to do."

With that said, he turned and strode from the ring, leaving Piccolo to stare after him and piece together his thoughts. He stood shakily and took a deep breath, watching as the short man entered the waiting area under the scrutinizing glare of the Z warriors.

_Supreme Kai or not, you may have made the worst mistake possible, bringing Goku back. Whatever you are after had better be worth it, because if it is not, you may not live to tell about it._

***IN THE WAITING AREA***

Gohan furrowed his brow, concentrating. Shin had won the match, but something certainly felt off for the Demi-Saiyan. He had felt Piccollo's ki open up to maximum, and while he was nowhere near the obscene display of raw power of a super-saiyan, he was by far more powerful than he just displayed. It didn't make sense, Piccolo's attacks seemed slow and forced, a far cry from the smooth and fluid attacks that he was known for. It had something to do with Shin, the only question was; what did he do to his friend?

He tore his eyes away from the short purple guy, noticing absently that he looked shaken, much to his tall pink friend's worry. His attention was now on the tall approaching form of his former mentor, who had retrieved his cape and turban. As he passed through the threshold, the tall Namekian paused his eyes on Gohan. His eyes held a whole plethora of thoughts that Gohan couldn't have deciphered in a hundred years. One thing was abundantly clear though, and that was that Piccolo needed to be alone.

"Is he that powerful Piccolo?"

Krillins raspy voice sounded fearful, and Gohan knew he was nervously inspecting his next opponent. Piccolo's eyes remained locked with Gohan's, and the demi knew that he was focusing hard on something. A burning desire to know what was going through his former mentor's mind flared up, and he almost made the decision to ask until he knew what was going on.

_No Gohan, don't do that. He's given me space for years at my request. I need to give him that same courtesy. He'll tell me if I need to know._

Piccolo's expression remained grim, but he nodded.

"More powerful than we imagined Krillin."

Krillin's face fell, and he crossed his arms, glaring hard at the ground.

"Man, I never get any luck in these things. This is why I've never made it to the final match."

Tien mimicked his pose, glaring at him and deadpanning.

"Yea, poor you fighting someone who none of us know. Well at-least you don't have to fight your wife… Or her brother… We remember what they did to us last time right?"

Without saying anything else, Piccolo turned and strode to the end of the hallway, reclaiming his place against the wall and crossing his arms with his usual scowl. Gohan watched after him a moment before carefully scrutinizing Shen and Kibito. The large pink man was gripping his companion by the shoulder, and his strange ki was fluctuating in a most bizarre fashion. Shin appeared to perk up slightly after a moment, and a small smile graced his expression. He turned, and their eyes met for a second, and Gohan swore he saw the corner of his eye twitch nervously before turning away again.

_More powerful than we imagined… We'll just have to see about that._

_ "Now, ladies and gentlemen, our next one is going to be a good one! On one side, we have the former runner-up of the last two tournaments, Jewel! In the other is none other than Satan City's very own heroine beauty, and Mr. Satan's daughter, Videl! Please, let's hear that world famous cheer and get these fighters out here!"_

Gohan continued to watch Kibito and Shin for a moment before turning back to the rest of the group, where Videl was getting some last second words of encouragement from the others. She pushed past them with an excited grin on her face, pausing only momentarily before Gohan, who nodded to her once with a smile barely visible in his eyes.

"Have fun out there Videl, I'll see you after your match okay?"

She continued past him, returning his gesture and making her way out into the sunlit arena. She winced a little at the loud cheering that assaulted her ears, and nervously waved around at the crowd. That only served to fan the flame, and she could feel her eyes trying to cross at the force of the sound hitting her in the head. She shook her head, flinging her short hair around and made her way up onto the arena, taking her position on one side of the center while Jewel made his way to the other. They stood approximately ten feet apart and Jewel was looking her up and down, making her very self-conscious of where his wandering gaze was probing.

"You know, you've grown into quite the beauty? What say we… meet up when this is all over and I've won the tournament? We could celebrate properly."

Her stomach churned uncomfortably as his voice drawled out to him, his egotistical and pompous tone nearly making her as sick as his implication. She scowled, giving him her best glare, which quickly wiped the smug sneer off his face. He cleared his throat and tensed nervously at the pure loathing she sent him.

"You're being pretty pretentious assuming I'd 'celebrate' with you, especially since I'm about to ruin your day by beating you down."

She let a smirk form on her lips, narrowing her eyes at the blonde man.

"Besides, I don't need a womanizing airhead to celebrate with. I've already got a _real _man."

His nervousness dropped away quickly into open outrage. He gaped at her, dumbstruck.

_"Alright fighters! You both know the drill, at the sound of the gong…"_

"Nobody… _Nobody, _turns me down and insults me! You'll regret those words girl. I don't care who your father is, I will still beat you, and I will win this tournament!"

They settled into their respective stances, awaiting the sound of the gong. Videl mentally prepared herself, knowing full well how good of a fighter Jewel was. He had nearly defeated her father five years ago, and despite the lying about cell, and the fact that he didn't know what ki was, he was certainly the greatest normal human fighter of recent years. She'd been training hard for this occasion for years, and now it was time to perform.

_**BONG!**_

She allowed him to make the first move, knowing that he was still seething from her comment. He obliged her patience, rushing forward with his fist cocked back and prepared to strike. He closed the distance, and Videl noticed a subtle shift of his weight forward well before he was in punching range. Accurately reading his telegraphing, she shifted back and out of the way just as he unleashed a fast kick that would have caught her unawares otherwise. His eyes widened in shock at the speed with which she moved, and she capitalized on it. She caught his ankle and punched him on the inside of the thigh, the gut, and the sternum in quick succession before sweeping his grounded leg and sending him skidding on his back with a loud huff of lost air.

_Damn, that was too easy… I expected more fight out of him than that._

The crowd went wild, and Jewel's face turned brick red as he struggled to regain his footing. The leg that Videl had struck had gone numb, and everything from the knee down was unresponsive, giving him a rather bad limp as he faced her again.

_"Folks, the fight has only just begun and Videl has already demonstrated a _huge _improvement in speed and skill since her last appearance in the junior division! I don't think Jewel was prepared for such a ferocious fighter, but he's back up and it looks like the fight will continue!"_

The blonde glowered at her, settling himself into a back-stance that favored his good leg; a more defensive posture, and he eyed her warily. She smirked at him, relishing the feeling she was getting from tormenting the arrogant prick. She would make him pay for suggesting she would _ever _go to bed with him.

She put her arms up in a casual guard, steadily closing in on him with her confidence boosted by the crowd. The instant she got within ten feet of him, he suddenly went back on the offense, trying to catch her in her apparent state of unpreparedness. He unleashed a flurry of punches, avoiding the use of his disabled leg. She watched each blow descend upon her in a slowness that she hadn't really noticed before, like her mind was slowing it down to catch every detail. Each attack unveiled a new weakness in his technique, which she had to admit was very good, but still imperfect. She blocked, parried, or dodged everything, letting him think that he was controlling the fight. The ease with which she was able to toy with him surprised her, but she knew that her last month of training must have had something to do with her increase in prowess.

She soon tired of the game, and she decided to humiliate the blonde even more. She blocked a straight punch from him and threw a quick jab upwards into the inside of his arm, letting it fall limp to his side as the limb numbed. He staggered back a step, glaring at the arm as it refused to follow his command before rounding on her again. He struggled forward and swung his remaining good arm limply in a round strike as a last ditch effort, only to have it similarly disabled. He stood there, fear etched across his face as he took in his unresponsive appendages. She smiled, crossing her arms and considering him with her head tilted to the side, like an artist would with a new piece.

"Hmmmm nope, still missing something."

He paled and returned his eyes to her, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water without any words coming out. His apprehension almost made her laugh out loud. She lunged forward, startling him into staggering back a step, trying to control himself on his one good leg. She darted forward, delivering a swift and sharp round house kick to the inside of said leg, and grinned deviously as she watched him fall backwards with a yelp. He crashed to the floor, staring up at the sky with his four limbs twitching slightly.

He struggled for a moment, attempting in vain to get himself standing again before he accepted his defeat, glaring up at her from his compromising position. Pure hatred flowed from him as the announcer began his countdown.

"You bitch! You're going to regret this! I swear, I'm going to… I'm gonna…"

"You're gonna what? Bite my legs off? Well I'm sorry, 'good sir knight', but unless you want me to do worse to you, you'll stay right there. Just take a nap, you'll feel better."

_"… and Ten! Videl wins by… erm… knockout! I tell you what ladies and gentlemen, I've been in this business for many, many years, and I've never seen someone win a match the way that our young heroine did today. To lose by laying on the ground unable to move? That's got to be a blow to the ego."_

***IN THE READY ROOM***

Gohan grinned to himself as Videl made her way back to towards them. The energy and happiness radiating off of her was infectious, and he couldn't help but feel pride at what she had accomplished. What would have been a hard fight before she began her training with him was now child's play for her. None of the Z-fighters were particularly surprised by the outcome of the match, however Krillin did notice something.

"Hey Gohan, I couldn't help noticing that she fights kinda like Piccolo. You've been teaching her the demon fist right?"

He grunted in affirmation, considering his older friend curiously. Krillin pouted slightly, looking up at his godson.

"It works, but I'm kinda surprised you didn't teach her any of the turtle form…"

Gohan averted his eyes from the short monk, instead returning his eyes to the girl walking towards them. It was no surprise to him that his godfather had hoped he would teach her some of master Roshi's technique, but there was a reason he had not. In truth, it was the exact same reason he hadn't used that fighting style in years, and why he hadn't made a Kamehameha wave since the one that killed Cell. He refused to acknowledge that he knew it at all out of shame. For him to admit that he had learned all of that from his father just brought back the pain from that day. Not wanting to admit his real reason, he recited his practiced excuse as she entered the room.

"The Demon Fist complimented her fighting style that she had before. It wasn't necessary to teach her the Turtle form."

Videl immediately found her way towards the tall demi, joy radiating from her. She hop-skipped the last few steps towards him and threw her arms around the slightly surprised warrior. He hesitated, looking down at her quizzically before relenting and returning the hug. He could hear Krillin snickering at him behind his back, but he let it be. It was only a hug after all.

Videl released the hug and beamed up at him, excitement flooding her voice as she spoke.

"I haven't had that much fun in a fight in… Oh I don't even know how long! Your training made so much of a difference! Thanks doesn't even begin to cover what I wish I could say."

"Hey it was all your doing shortstop. I just provided a means."

He leaned in close so that none of the others could hear him.

"By the way why did you drag it out like that? Not that I didn't enjoy watching you fight, that was pretty funny, but why?"

She crossed her arms indignantly and glared back through the doorway towards the ring.

"That pig suggested that we should go somewhere to 'celebrate' after the tournament… I don't think I need to tell you what he meant?"

"And you said…?"

She hesitated, mouth agape as she halted herself before she could speak the words that were about to come from her mouth. Her cheeks began to flush a brilliant pink and she avoided looking him directly in the face. She cleared her throat nervously.

"Well… No obviously…"

He was slightly puzzled by her response, but decided not to think into it too much. After all, her answer had been quite clear. The other Z fighters gathered around as soon as the two of them returned to the group, congratulating the raven-haired crime fighter for her performance. A commotion near the entrance of the waiting area caught their attention, and they all burst into laughter as Jewel was wheeled out on a wheel chair, screaming bloody murder and obscenities at Videl the whole way.

"_Would Killa and Spopovich please make their way to the arena?"_

Gohan sniffed irritably at the announcement, knowing full well that they were probably in for a boring fight. Neither of the fighters appeared to be anything special, even Spopovich with his unusual appearance. He considered for a moment that Spopovich could have been the person that Shin and Kibito were after, but no matter how many times he did the equation, it didn't add up. On top of that, he still wasn't sure what he thought about the two mysterious men. He glanced over to where his former mentor had decided to relax, and was surprised to find that he hadn't moved.

_Okay, that's enough of this…_

He smartly made his way over to the Namekian, ignoring the quizzical looks of his friends that he could feel burning into the back of his head. He stopped directly in front of him, staring up hard at him with his arms crossed. Silence reigned as he waited for Piccolo to acknowledge his presence. The gong rang, and he could hear the crowd cheer enthusiastically. Another minute passed and he still didn't move, and Gohan was beginning to lose his patience. Finally, just as he was about to say something, Piccolo's eyes cracked a tiny bit and his scowl depened.

"What is it kid?"

Gohan hesitated, remembering what he had been thinking earlier. Sure, he respected Piccolo, but there was something very wrong and he was determined to find out what. Trying to think the best way about this, he kept his question short and his voice low, making sure that nobody was close enough to overhear.

"You know who he is Piccolo?"

Piccolo's eyes found his again, and his anxiety was abundantly clear to Gohan. He and Piccolo both knew that there was no way the Namekian could lie to him now, his answer was all too clear.

"Yes."

Silence reigned again, and Gohan began to feel impatient. The match was apparently taking a lot longer than he had predicted, though he couldn't feel anything special about either fighter except that one was not fluctuating. Stowing away that little bit of information for later analysis, he returned his mind to the Namekian.

"Well? Care to fill me in?"

A bead of sweat dripped down the side of his face under the glare of the Demi, which only served to frustrate him further. Gohan growled and cracked his neck, willing himself to stay calm.

"Piccolo if he's that bad, then we need to get rid of him! Now who is he?"

"No, Gohan, he's not the bad guy. Understand, I cannot tell you who he is, but you would definitely not be doing us any favors by getting rid of him."

Instead of placating the demi, his words only seemed to fuel his curiosity. Piccolo started to feel more and more trapped, and turned to the last resort he would have never imagined using on him before.

"Remember, your father is only here for as long as they are, I don't think you want to take him away yet."

He let the words hang in the air, and Gohan visibly tensed. Hurt and outrage shone in his pitch black eyes, and immediately regret and guilt washed over the Namekian. He knew what affect using his father against him would have, but it was that or risk setting loose the long contained fury within him.

"I'm sorry my friend, but you're going to have to trust me."

Gohan turned on his heel and walked away, leaving a heavy silence in his wake. Piccolo cursed himself silently for resorting to such methods, and hoped the boy wouldn't hold it against him later. He observed as he returned to the group, hanging a little outside of the rest, who eyed him warily. His dark mood was hard to miss, and the others knew well enough when to give him some space, or in Goku's case, was told to leave it be. To try and normalize the tension in the air, they went about talking about the old days and catching up. Videl alone stood with him, not speaking, just being. Piccolo closed his eyes, delving back into his mental debate.

_ The Supreme Kai is here on earth, Goku is back from the dead with him, and we have no clue why. He said if I cared for the sake of life in the universe then he has to succeed. No doubt he must realize that whatever it is he's after, he could have easily gotten help from Gohan, or even Vegeta for that matter, provided he give them good enough a reason… So why bring Goku back? Shin is one of the Greater Kai's, above the Grand Kai. There must be millions of dead fighters in otherworld that he has observed for who knows how long, so why would he pick Goku? Is it because he's from this planet? Where does he fit into all of this?_

A conversation caught his attention, and he recognized the voice as Goku's.

"… then King Kai and I were taken to the world of the Grand Kai, which apparently is a big deal in other-world. I've been there ever since. I even competed in an other-world tournament and won against this guy Pikkon in the finals… sorta, we ended up tying."

"You mean to tell me that despite being told that you couldn't return to Earth because you killed King Kai, they let you keep your body, you got sent to what sounds like a sacred place, AND you fought in a tournament? Not exactly the kind of punishment I would have expected…"

Goku scratched the back of his neck nervously, his eyes growing distant and his grin falling slightly.

"Well it wasn't all good either. Being told that I couldn't come back hit me pretty hard, and I was pretty much made to train every day until my body gave out on me. Normally I would enjoy training, but this didn't really seem to serve a purpose. Before it was training for fun to become stronger, always having that goal. But until I came back today, I'd thought that was my punishment… To make me train so much that I began to hate it…"

That earned some dumbfounded looks from all of the Z-fighters, even Gohan, who had been subtly listening to him without watching him. Goku chuckled nervously, realizing the source of their incredulity.

"Heh heh… Me not wanting to train… Crazy right?"

Piccolo stashed away that bit of information, adding it onto the pile of things he knew.

_They forced him to train, and now he just happens to get picked to come to Earth to fight some new threat? It's too much coincidence that he's been forced to train since the day he died, and Supreme Kai picks him for this. He has to have known about… whatever it is he's after… for the last several years, that's the only reason Goku would have been kept in the afterlife to train so hard. Which could mean…_

He felt a cold chill of realization shoot through his veins as his hypothesis came to full light with the new information.

_It's more than likely that the Supreme Kai ordered him to be kept in other-world. He would most certainly have the authority to do it, and to have the Kai's keep Goku training until he was needed. It makes too much sense… And if that's the case, then he has even more to fear of Gohan than I first thought. _

His thoughts were interrupted by an eruption of cheers from the crowd outside, and the rapidly disappearing ki of one of the fighters.

_"And our winner is Spopovich, after a shocking come-from-behind victory. Ladies and gentlemen please stand by; we will resume the tournament shortly!"_

Several monks sprinted through the ready area, and Piccolo could feel the ki of several others already in the arena. The crowd was loud as ever, but now it held a tense buzz where before there was excitement. The winner, Spopovich, strode back into the waiting area, and Piccolo was startled to see his face and hands spattered in blood. His curiosity got the better of him and he strode back to join the group again, looking towards Tien quizzically as he approached. Tien's brow was furrowed in a serious scowl, and he kept glancing back over towards Spopovich and Yamu.

"What happened?"

The triclops considered him with his third eye, making Piccolo's skin crawl at the bizarre display. He never did get used to that extra eye and its ability to move independently of the other two.

"That guy Spopovich is… weird... And ruthless… He was losing to Killa, but just kept getting back up. Killa got tired, and Spopovich beat him into the ground, hard. He made me when I first fought Yamcha look practically gentle. I didn't think he would stop…"

Piccolo considered what he said, looking out into the ring where he could see the large form of Killa being rapidly carried out on a stretcher. Yes, the namekian had been focusing on bigger matters, but it puzzled him that Spopovich could have done anything at all out there without so much as a spike in his ki.

_That makes absolutely no sense. Even your normal earthling experiences ki fluctuation when they get excited or if they fight. But his is just… flat… Constant._

The monks quickly cleaned off the tile of the ring, disappearing quickly from sight with bloodstained rags and mops. The announcer stepped into the ring again, inspecting it under the excited watch of the crowd. Satisfied, he flipped the switch on the microphone and cleared his throat.

_"Alright folks, that was a brutal fight. I have consulted the tournament managers, and they have decided that Spopovich used excessive force during the last match. However, they are not disqualifying him from the tournament on the grounds that Killa was not killed in the fight. They have notified me that if it occurs again, Spopovich will in turn be disqualified from the tournament."_

His words hung in the air for a moment, earning an even louder buzz from the crowd.

_"But enough of that, next we have a returning champion! Tien Shinhan has not been seen in a tournament in nearly twenty years. He will be facing off against a newcomer, who is using the name 'Number 17'."_

His statement earned a few chuckles from the crowd at the name. In fact, the only people that didn't seem to be amused was the Z-fighters and their families. Tien steadily became paler as he began to make his way towards the ring.

"Well, I hope that they don't expect me to win… You'll take it easy on me right?"

The black haired android smirked, but didn't answer his question. He took the lead, leaving the triclops with a slightly crestfallen expression. The crowd erupted into cheers at the sight of the returning champion, even though many of them had never actually seen him, in pictures or otherwise. Without too much extra theatricals, the two fighters stepped into the ring, squaring off against each other. The gong rang, and the two of them began. Tien rushed forward, trying to secure any advantage he could grasp, and true to his own predictions, he was far outclassed by the android. The match lasted barely more than a minute before Tien was cast from the ring unceremoniously.

Gohan couldn't help but laugh at the expression the triclops was wearing as he stood and brushed himself off. The crowd didn't care too much about the apparent ease with which a former champion was defeated. They cheered and stomped their feet and praised the fighters like they were gods. Gohan crossed his arms and shook his head irritably.

_Sheep. They behave like sheep. If one does something, then another will follow, then two more, then four… It's no wonder they treat Mr. Satan like they do, hardly any of them actually realize the power of the fighters in the ring. Oh well… If I'm not mistaken, Dad's up next with 18…_

Tien and 17 rejoined the group, with Tien grumbling to the ground and 17 toting smug grin. Gohan rolled his eyes and nudged the shorter android.

"Don't forget, your next opponent is going to be Goku, unless you think 18 can beat him."

The androids grin fell from his face immediately, and Tien snickered at him behind his back.

_"Next up is yet another former champion, Goku Son! Goku fought in the twenty first tournament at the tender age of twelve, losing only to the legendary fighter Jackie Chun."_

_ Huh… Roshi…_

_ "Then he went on to face Tien Shinhan in the finals of the twenty-second, and nearly won at the age of fifteen! Then he won the twenty third tournament at the age of eighteen against Ma Junior! Ladies and gentlemen today you get to see the last four world champions duke it out in the ring! You will not get another chance to experience an event like this again!"_

He paused while the crowd cheered at the statement. Gohan again reflected that if someone told them he had invented the wheel they would have cheered for him. The excitement in the crowd was strong enough for him to feel it raining down on him in waves of energy.

_"Our other contestant for this match is going by the name Number 18, and, you guessed it; She's Number 17's sister! Like her brother, she is new to the world tournament scene, but we have high hopes for her seeing how well her brother did!"_

"Hey Goku, you'll take it easy on my wife right?"

Goku blinked a couple times in surprise, looking down on his short friend. He jumped backwards when the blonde android appeared out of nowhere, glowering down at her husband with her hands on her hips.

"I can take care of myself Krillin! I don't need his charity for this fight. Remember, I was designed specifically to fight Goku."

"Yea babe, but that was nearly ten years ago! Goku's been training this whole time remember?"

18 growled and turned on her heel, marching away from the rest of the group with a huff. Goku watched after her curiously for a moment, but shrugged it off and followed. Gohan watched the two of them as they entered the ring amidst the deafening roar of the crowd, curiosity beginning to well up in him. Despite his constant discomfort and anxiety at the return of his father, his Saiyan side wanted to know just how strong he had become. Deep down, he longed for the opportunity to fight him, just like the old days preparing for Cell. The thought brought both comfort and a fresh wave of pain that he shoved down into the depths of his consciousness.

"So I can't help but worry about 18… I'm not wrong for asking Goku to take it easy am I? I mean, I know she didn't actually fight him back in the old days, but even Piccolo was able to overpower 17, and Goku is far stronger when he goes super."

"Ha! Key words are 'when he goes super', which that dolt agreed not to do!"

"Vegeta, Goku won't willingly lose a fight if he knows he can win it, even you ought to know that by now."

"Maybe you've forgotten shorty, but Kakarot is far too noble to break that agreement! He won't transform, and I will laugh if that tin can of a wife of yours takes him down! That would almost be worth not fighting him myself!"

Nobody saw fit to try and contradict the prince's statement, disregarding the whole "tin can" statement entirely, knowing for themselves the truth that lay within his words. Gohan admitted he wasn't sure what his father was capable of in his base form. He hadn't sparred either of the android twins once in the time since Cell, and didn't know exactly what they were capable of besides the fact that Vegeta had had problems in the first transformation when they met. He reasoned that the best way to find out would be to watch the fight, and so he cast out his ki, feeling the fight to try and gauge the power of the two, despite the fact that he couldn't feel 17 or 18's ki.

As soon as Goku entered the ring and took his position, 18 dropped into an aggressive stance and prepared herself. Gohan already knew that the android was going to rush the Saiyan in a bid to end the match quickly. She was no fool, and probably did realize that Goku had gotten stronger than she was originally programmed to deal with. Goku on the other hand looked completely relaxed, taking up an easy defensive stance and smiling brightly at the blonde. Needing no further theatrics, the announcer waved towards the monks manning the gong, who struck it sharply and began the fight.

True to his prediction, 18 immediately shot forth, demonstrating a blinding speed with which she was capable of moving, and startling Gohan. He knew she was a very strong fighter, but even he hadn't expected her to be so fast. Goku seemed likewise affected, and she landed two punches in quick succession, staggering the Saiyan back slightly before he managed to get his guard up and block. 18 pressed her attack, not allowing him to counter. For a moment, Gohan considered that perhaps Vegeta had been correct in his hypothesis and that he was about to witness his father lose to the woman. After all, he was indeed too noble to break his agreement with Vegeta.

But Goku did what he does best, and surprised the android by halting one of her punches fist-to-fist, forcing her back several feet from the force of the strike. He considered her for a few moments, seemingly trying to calculate something while the Android glared at him menacingly. Then his ki spiked, rising well above what Gohan had thought him capable of in an instant. He remained in his basic form, with only a faint white aura bursting up around him, but let flow an energy that nearly rivaled the half-saiyan's own ability without transforming.

_Looks like whatever he's been doing in the afterlife has paid off tremendously. I've busted my ass these last seven years and he's managed to stay even with me… Or even more powerful perhaps._

In spite of himself, he felt an excited apprehension well up in him. The possibility that he would get to fight his father made itself known as he glanced at the bracket, and he felt a fire in his gut that he hadn't felt in a long time: That same desire to test himself against a worthy opponent that he had felt in his toughest fights. The deeply buried Saiyan side of him that longed for battle to entertain himself, not for the necessity of the fight. Knowing full well what happens when he lets that side of him take control, he forced the thought from his mind, allowing the disgust at his own nature to wash over him for only a moment before returning his attention to the fight.

Goku shifted his stance completely, pulling from his years of fighting experience under so many masters into a stance completely foreign to Gohan. He grinned at the android confidently, who in turn paled slightly at the look he gave her. Without any sign that he was going to move, Goku shot forward, closing the distance to the Android rapidly. She barely managed to block the wide round-house kick sent at her before he was raining down attack after attack on her. She was fast, but not nearly quick enough to block every punch that he sent her way, or every kick, and with each one that landed, she began to tire.

Much to Gohan's shock, his father didn't seem to be losing momentum, and quickly drove 18 to the edge of the ring. She halted with her heels against the edge of the tile, her eyes darting to and fro looking for a way out. She waited for Goku to strike again, and dodged to the outside of his kick in a bid to get around him. But she hadn't planned on him carrying through with the kick all the way around so that he was suddenly facing her again while she was still in mid-air. She read the shift in his weight and saw the punch coming, but didn't have enough time to maneuver herself out of its way with her ki. She crossed her arms before her instinctively and took the punch right in the middle of it. The force of the strike slammed into her chest, stunning her momentarily as gravity began to do its work.

She was jolted from her dazed state when her back hit the hard surface of the Earth, sending spots dancing before her eyes and forcing the breath out of her. She propped herself up on her elbows, glaring at Goku incredulously.

_Can I really be that outclassed by the very fighter I was created to destroy? It doesn't seem possible that he could have defeated me! I had him against the wall, what happened?!_

_ "And 18 is out of the ring, which makes Goku the winner! There you have it folks, even twenty years later, Goku Son still has what it takes to put us all in a state of awe! I don't know about you, but the two of them were moving so quickly that I had trouble following them! But one thing is for certain, we could _all _feel the raw power coming from them both. What a match!"_

Amidst all the cheering, Goku released the flow of energy, his clear aura dying out quickly and his care free grin falling back into place. He knelt at the edge of the ring, beaming down at the android and offering her a hand. She hesitated, still lost in thought about what had just happened, but took it regardless. He pulled her up, assisting her back into the ring and patting her on the shoulder. She brushed her shoulder length hair over her ear, looking curiously up at him.

"Okay Goku, explain to me what you just did. I had you beat, and then all of a sudden you just… knock me out of the ring like it's nothing. Without transforming, no less. Why? How?"

He nervously scratched the back of his neck, bearing the Son grin at her with a light chuckle.

"Well, I admit I was surprised by how strong you were. For a moment I was worried that I would have to transform to take you, but I decided to wait and watch. After a while I figured out how much it would take and… Well I just opened up the flow that much! I matched my ki to yours… Or I tried to anyways, it's hard to tell. Heh heh."

The android quirked an eyebrow at him, clearly skeptical.

"I find it incredible that you didn't have to transform to match my strength, but you obviously did not. So even if you matched mine perfectly, how did you brush aside my defenses so easily?"

"Well, you were taught how to fight me seven years ago right? I just used a fighting style I developed in other-world! You didn't know how to stop it because it was different!"

She continued to glare at him for a moment longer, her face an impassive mask. Her eyes narrowed, and a knowing smirk graced her features as she crossed her arms.

"You really are something else, you know that? I can see why Dr. Gero had so much trouble with you. This was… Fun… Were there the chance, I would like to fight you again."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and left the arena. Goku suddenly realized the obnoxious level of noise assaulting his ears from the crowd, and winced. He waved cautiously to the crowd, earning a surge of noise in return. Deciding that his ears had had enough, he walked quickly from the raised platform, returning to the waiting area. Immediately, he was greeted by the slightly shocked expressions of many of his friends. Krillin was the first to speak, his words barely containing the awe that filled him.

"Goku, bro, that was awesome! I mean shoot, back when the androids showed up, you and Vegeta had to go super to deal with them, and now… Now you don't even look winded, and you won just like that! I tell you what, you Saiyans are a rare type! Oh man, I can't wait to see you three go at it!"

He hesitated, glancing over at his wife, who was making a point of avoiding his eye.

"Just, don't let any of us little bugs get in the way when you all really get into it okay?"

Goku laughed, scratching at his neck again under the combined gaze he was receiving.

_"Next up, we have Satan City's very own super hero; Bardock! He will be competing against another newcomer to the tournament scene; Yamu!"_

Gohan perked up as his alias' name was called, and glanced towards the rest of the group. They nodded at him encouragingly, none of them doubting the outcome of the match. Videl clapped him on the back, smiling up at him warmly.

"Go get'im _Bardock_. I'll still be here when you get back."

Gohan smirked behind his mask, fighting the urge to embrace the short woman, and turned to leave. He nearly bumped into his opponent, who he noted was glaring at Goku's back with a hard expression. Immediately, his defensive side kicked in again, and he stepped forward into Yamu's line of sight, blocking his father from him with his broad form. He shot a glare that said "keep moving or else" towards the shorter man. Yamu returned the glare for a second more before continuing on his way out the door to the arena.

_I don't like it… Yamu and Spopovich were already glaring at Shin and Kibito, and now they have their eyes set on dad… I would dismiss it as coincidence, but it just had to be dad… _

Quickly making up his mind, he slightly leaned towards Videl, who was still at his side and glaring after Yamu as well.

"Keep an eye on the four wackos would you? There's a bigger picture to all of this, and it seems to be centered around my dad now. They can't kill him since he's already dead, but I would rather be safe…"

"Of course."

He nodded, glad that he had someone he trusted keeping an eye out for him, and followed after the pale fighter. The crowd erupted into loud cheers at the sight of him as he stepped into the light, and he could feel the beginnings of a headache start to set in.

_"As many of you may know, Bardock is a masked fighter who protects Satan City alongside Videl Satan. Nobody knows who he really is or where he comes from, but we have all surely seen the incredible feats of strength that he is capable of. Amongst his known abilities, he can fly, shoot beams of light from his hands, and who hasn't seen the footage of him tossing a pickup truck through the air with what appears to be no effort? Yes ladies and Gentlemen, our unknown newcomer, Yamu, certainly has his work cut out for him. Does he have what it takes to tackle the super-powered vigilante? Let's find out!"_

The announcer killed the mic and turned to leave the ring, passing Gohan on the way.

"Please, no killing Bardock?"

Gohan irritably waved him off, grunting his acknowledgement. He didn't have any plans for killing anyone today, but that was always subject to change. He considered his opponent for a moment, thinking the best way to deal with him. Yamu looked tough, but what Gohan could feel of his ki was puny in comparison to his own. Despite his disappointment at the lack of a good match, he could feel his Saiyan side burning in his gut, begging for the fight.

_Oh maybe I'll just have a little fun with him… Besides, if this guy is anything like his buddy, then he'll be able to take a hit or two. _

Yamu settled into an aggressive boxing stance, while Gohan simply stood there watching him, amusement bubbling up in him. The announcer waited a moment for Gohan to do likewise, but after a few seconds, gave up and waved at the monks. The gong sounded and the match began.

Yamu made the first move, letting forth a battle-cry and lunging forward. His rear hand shot forward in a straight punch, aimed directly for Gohan's face. The demi's eyes narrowed as the fist approached, and he just barely leaned to the side, dodging the attack and simultaneously striking Yamu with an open palm to the ribs. The shorter man staggered backwards, nursing his bruised ribs and glaring at Gohan hard. Behind his mask, the demi was smirking menacingly.

_Oh yea, I can definitely have fun with this guy._

***BACK IN THE WAITING AREA***

Goku cocked his head to the side as he watched his son fight. So far, Yamu had been the only one to actually attack this round, and each time he was lazily countered by the demi-saiyan. But the match had already gone for a minute, far longer than Gohan needed to finish the fight. Beyond that, he was slightly startled by the change in technique since the last time he had seen the boy fight.

"I don't get it, what's he doing? It's not like him to just… play with his opponent."

No sooner had the words fallen from his mouth than he realized that he truly had no clue what his son was like now. Seven long years was more than enough time for someone to change completely. Vegeta, who was watching Gohan with a smirk plastered on his face and his arms crossed, looked towards the taller Saiyan out the corner of his eye.

"Kakarot your brat has grown up, and he would make a fine Saiyan warrior were our planet still intact. Don't worry he's still a little goody goody, but if you ever have the misfortune to fight him, he is ruthless. He's having some fun with this Yamu character, so let him."

"Well yea, I saw a bit of that with Cell remember? It still just doesn't seem like him…"

Vegeta turned his head fully to consider him, his smirk giving way to a serious scowl.

"Look Kakarot, I'm not going to lie to you, the brat didn't take to your death easily, and he's changed. I'm sure you noticed that he doesn't fight like you anymore? He refused to even acknowledge he was your son for many years, insisting that he had, quote-unquote, 'lost that right' on the day that you died. I don't know what you were expecting when you were told you were coming back…"

He trailed off as the crowd outside went nuts, cheering as the demi finally bored of his opponent and lazily kicked him from the ring. Vegeta snorted in amusement and returned his attention to the other Saiyan.

"But be glad that he's taken this all as well as he has. Believe it or not, the reception you got today is a far-cry than any of us expected from him, considering his past. He could have easily snapped and blasted the whole planet into oblivion. And Dende forbid if her were mad at you for leaving… Well, as I already stated, he is ruthless. And being the most powerful being in the known universe is a horrible mix with ruthless. He would put the theory that you can't die again if you have that halo over your head to the test."

**A/N: There you go! I know, I skimmed over a couple of the fights there, but they're only the first round fights! The next chapter is where the juicy stuff happens. Now, who caught the Monty Python reference? I couldn't resist haha! Like I said, I'm going to try to get the next one up here before I leave, until then: have fun and you all have a wonderful day!**


	25. Mutant

**Hey all! So I managed to get this one finished and edited a lot quicker than I anticipated. I got some free time, so here it is! It's a lot longer than I originally intended, but believe me it could have been even longer. Now before I give anything away out of apprehension; On to the story! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 25: Mutant**

Vegeta let his statement sink in fully, finally striking home in that idiot Kakarot's brain as he watched his son approach. In a way, he loved the torment that the thought must have caused the younger Saiyan, after all, he had committed his entire life after his first visit to Earth to besting him. But at the same time, he had grown quite fond of Gohan, nearly as much as his own son, and he could only imagine what he would have felt if Trunks had gone so far astray from what he'd expected of him. As it was, Gohan had gone far beyond what the prince had ever imagined him being, and loathe though he was to admit it, none struck more fear into him than the Demi. It was no wonder to him that the boy's fool father would be a little put out by the change.

He chose to try and placate the Saiyan, imagining in his head what the woman would say if she found out he was torturing him instead.

_Vegeta you... Complete and… total… fucking dickhead! He gets one day back and you have to go and be your stupid shitheaded princy self! Now what do you think Gohan is going to do to you? You just had to go and ruin his one day he had with his father!_

He smirked at the thought of her tirade, had he acted on his impulses. But no, she had done her work on him well over the years. In spite of himself, even the thought of doing such a thing stirred a deeply buried feeling of guilt, mostly for the effect it would have on the eldest Demi-Saiyan.

_Damn woman has made me soft…_

"Gohan is still the good guy Kakarot, I can assure you of that. He's done all he can to fill your shoes in your absence, and as much as I regret to say it, he has surpassed the both of us in his role. He's made a strong guardian for this planet, rendering all your old friends effectively as useful as that afro'd idiot up there in the boxes."

Videl huffed, scowling and crossing her arms at him with an irritable glare.

"You know, despite my problems with that 'afro'd idiot', he is still my father. Be nice."

Vegeta mimicked her posture, sneering down at her.

"Or what girl? I admit, to think that that buffoon contributed to make you is hard to believe considering he took a dive in the shallow end of the gene pool…"

He internally applauded himself for the irritable roll of her eyes the subtle compliment-slash-insult earned.

"But disregarding that, you couldn't hurt me if you wanted to. I trust you are aware of our heritage, considering that you and the brat are mated?"

Her eyes snapped wide open and her jaw dropped at the statement, catching him off guard. He didn't let his own surprise show however, keeping his face neutral.

_Are they not? The boy has been at her for weeks now, what the hell is he waiting for?!_

"M-mated? What the hell does that mean?"

He disregarded her question, startling her by stepping in close and glaring at her neck on both sides just to confirm his thoughts. Sure enough, there was no mark on either side.

"Wha-… What the hell Vegeta? You find anything interesting I need to know about, or should I just kick you between the legs now?"

He halted his inspection, quirking an amused eyebrow at her fiery statement. She really was a feisty one, and immediately he felt the respect for her resurge in him. Truly, they boy had picked a good mate. Now if he would only make it official and do the damn deed! Then it occurred to him that she didn't know of their mating rituals.

"So he hasn't told you about us yet then?"

She crossed her arms, obviously in discomfort and self-consciousness. She glanced around the room nervously, making sure that their conversation wouldn't fall on unfitting ears.

"I know that you and Goku are Saiyans – the last two full blooded Saiyans – and that Gohan and the other three are hybrids. I know a bit about your transformation, but only from what I've seen Gohan do and… From the Cell games."

He stood straight, glaring into her eyes with a smug expression. She wasn't as familiar with Saiyans as he had predicted, but neither was she completely ignorant. She seemed contemplative for a moment, looking between his smirking face and Goku's distant expression, hesitating with a question clearly bursting to come forth.

"Well, spit it out girl!"

She started at his statement, caught off guard by his harsh tone.

"It's… something you said earlier… About Gohan? You said he was the most powerful in the universe… I mean I know he's strong, but…"

He couldn't help but chuckle at her words, surely she had to have known of how powerful he really was? But then, she had only known him for half a year, and who knows how long she'd actually known about his lineage.

"Here's your history lesson for the day girl. Gohan. Is. A. Legend. Killer. Within his own rights, he is a legend himself. Years ago when his uncle came to this planet, he was the one to deliver the blow that would prove his downfall, at four years old. When I arrived, it was he who ultimately toppled me from my position as the Elite Saiyan at age five. _He _fought off one of the most powerful tyrants in this galaxy and many of his minions at age six. _He _fought with, on more than one occasion, _the _Super-Saiyan of legend; The second time, overpowering him and killing him at age sixteen. _And _he fought Cell at age eleven, who I am still disgusted to say, was literally a combination of all the most powerful beings that were on this planet at the time, including all of us Saiyans… So no, I do not exaggerate when I say that he is the most powerful being in the universe, and every time he fights, win or lose, he only gets stronger. He has the ability to wipe out entire star systems in one go, so..."

A thick silence reigned over the group after his tirade. None had heard him speak so passionately about anything besides his own ego. But he was more intrigued by her reaction to his statement; nothing. Nothing at all was what she showed for the information that had just been dumped on her. It was like someone had simply hit the "off" switch on her.

"You should feel proud of yourself girl, you've managed to tame him."

"That's enough Vegeta…"

The low growl ate away at his amusement quicker than a ki blast from the same man who had uttered the dangerously toned words. He stepped back from the girl, composing his face into the best neutral glare he could and taking in the teen. Just as every other time the boy had said anything to him in such a menacing manner, an unbidden sense of panic jolted through his stomach, but he fought to ignore it.

"Tell me boy, why haven't you done it yet? You know as well as I that it is unavoidable now… Surely you remember _that _from our discussions?"

His glare was unrelenting, his crossed arms and stock-straight back giving away no hint of backing down.

"We're not going to talk about this right now Vegeta, now…"

He strode closer to the short prince, sending the urge to flee from him to the fore-front of his mind. But he held his ground, stubbornly glaring right back just like he always would. When Gohan's voice came again, it was surprisingly less menacing, though no less serious.

"If you're done with your class for the day, you've got the next fight _your highness._ I don't know how powerful this guy is, but if Shin is any indication, he's probably pretty tough. Call it a hunch, but don't play around with him…"

"I don't need your advice on how to fight brat, I've been doing it since before your father was even conceived."

"Right, because that's helped you in so many occasions…"

"Bah! Shut up!"

He let the frustration fuel him, storming away from the group and tugging on the fighting gloves he had donned for the fight irritably. He knew Gohan was right about his past performances, though he'd never admit it. Despite his tactical genius, which he was proud to say was one of his most defining features, he had made critical errors in many of his battles. The worst of which still haunted him to this day: Not killing Cell when he had the chance to, before he had absorbed that damned blonde android. He'd never let the boy know it out loud, but he intended fully on following his advice. This Kibito character was an unknown, completely unpredictable. He would indeed need to be brought down quickly if he was to get to his fight with Kakarot.

***ACROSS THE ROOM***

"Master, this is not going to work. We still don't understand what those two are after. More than that, the green one already knows who you are. This is getting more and more precarious the longer we go."

Shin clasped his hands behind his back, furrowing his brow and watching Vegeta grumble to himself as he made his way towards the entrance. They were indeed treading on thin ice as it was, but their situation was dire.

"Yes I understand your worries Kibito, but we need to flush them out of hiding. I've got a hunch that they will need energy, and these Saiyans… I was planning on finding a way to get Goku to transform, and in the process, force their hands. But if we can get another target…"

"Is that wise? Vegeta has not been known for his cooperative nature. You yourself saw this over the course of his life. It is unlikely that he will simply transform because I ask it of him. Worse, it might clue them in to our intentions."

"Kibito we don't have many options left. We're running out of time, and I'm sure that Babidi will have… alternate plans set in motion. Even if my assumption about Yamu's and Spopovich's mission is incorrect, there is bound to be a backup plan buried away in that monster's head. We need to force his move before he can outmaneuver us. We _have _to act!"

The words rang true in his partner's head; that much he was certain of. But he knew what could result of action he was requesting from his tall bodyguard. Not one to give up entirely in the event of a failure, he continued.

"If Vegeta does not transform for you, then… We need to get Goku to transform, and I've got a hunch that the prince is the best way to do it. I will leave that call to your judgment if the time comes. Though I am fully aware you could win easily against him in his base form, this mission matters too much for that now."

_"Now, ladies and gentlemen, for the final match of the first round… We have two newcomers to the world martial arts scene: Vegeta and Kibito!"_

He took one last look to his pink friend, nodding to him reassuringly. The giant of a man inhaled deeply, focusing ahead of him to where his opponent was already making his way to the ring.

"What if this doesn't work? Surely Spopovich and Yamu are aware of our presence. What if they flee?"

"Then we shall give chase, and hope they lead us to the wizard. But I doubt they will until after they've gotten what they come for."  
With a defeated grunt, Kibito clenched his fists and began making his way out to the ring, carefully avoiding the glare of one Gohan Son. Masking his uncertainty, he strode confidently into the ring to face off against the Saiyan prince. The announcer did his usual routine, introducing the fighters to the crowd with all the information he knew, or in this case, the lack thereof. But neither of the fighters were paying him any attention, sizing each other up with their respective glares. Kibito summoned his resolve, crossing his arms before him and doing as the supreme Kai requested of him.

"Vegeta… Show me your super-Saiyan form."

A visible jolt of surprise shook the Saiyan prince, and immediately his expression became fierce. He cocked his head to the side to take in the tall pink man from a different angle, and crossed his arms defiantly.

"How…? You know of the legendary transformation? What is it to you?"

"That is inconsequential now. Just show me your true power."

Vegeta continued to glare at him for a moment, wincing irritably when the gong suddenly sounded. Neither of them moved for a moment, and Vegeta chanced a quick look towards the waiting area, his face an impassive mask. His eyes returned to the pink giant, and his face cracked into a smug sneer.

"No, I don't think I will…"

His arms uncrossed and he glowered up at the pink man, his shoulders hunching as his ki skyrocketed. The veins in his arms bulged with the sudden increase of blood flow as his heart rate climbed with his temper.

"You think you can just come in here and tell me, the prince of all saiyans, what to do? Oh no, I will beat you, and I will do it WITHOUT giving you the satisfaction of seeing me have to transform to do it!"

Kibito wasn't entirely sure if that last comment was actually directed at him or not, considering what he could feel going on in the Saiyan's mind. But before he could act on it, Vegeta let forth a blue-white aura and lunged towards him. Kibito stepped back into a defensive stance, determined to get through to the Saiyan yet.

_If I cannot get you to transform on request, I'll just give you a reason to._

Vegeta's initial attack was swift, even quicker than Kibito could have previously given him credit for in his base form. The straight punch directed towards his sternum nearly mad contact before he managed to redirect it with a block of his elbow. He snapped the same arm that he had blocked with forward in a hammer-fist directed at the Saiyan's exposed face, only to have him duck under it and forcefully drive his shoulder up and under his rib cage. Kibito grunted in pain as the air left his lungs before he took advantage of the smaller man's vulnerability. He grabbed the short Saiyan around the middle, trapping his arms at his sides and flipping him up so that he was inverted, enveloped in a bear hug.

"Augh! Put me down you great big ape!"

Kibito quirked an eyebrow at that, a fleeting flash of amusement toying with his mind. To be called an ape by one who literally was an ape of sorts… The irony was palpable. Dismissing the statement without another thought, he growled and dropped his weight to his knees, slamming the short man into the tile with a loud thud and a grunt.

"I admit, I'm impressed Vegeta. You managed to hit me. Don't worry, it won't happen again."

He tried to force as much malice and venom into the words as he could, knowing full well the pride of the Saiyan race. If there was one thing he had always admired of the primal species, it was the raw determination and desire to win that fueled them. And Vegeta was a prime specimen of a Saiyan, with several past instances showing exactly how prideful the prince was.

_If there's one way to make him transform, it should definitely be a blow to his ego._

The prince pushed himself up from the hard tile, snarling at the tall pink man. He had definitely struck a chord in him, now it was time to see if it would bear fruit. Kibito readied himself for the onslaught, and come it did. Vegeta shot forward again and again, attacking with all he had, while Kibito countered and sent him back time and time again. But for the life of him, the Saiyan would not transform. Deciding that a change of tactics was in order, Kibito went on the offensive. He transitioned flawlessly, mid-fight, into a completely different style of fighting. Vegeta staggered backwards, countering the attacks as best he could. His eyes darted back and forth, searching for a solution to this new predicament.

"Why. Won't. You. Trans-form?"

Kibito could barely contain his frustration. Despite outward appearances, his mind was not nearly as calm and collected as his masters. After all, he was significantly younger than the Supreme Kai, and had not mastered the mental control that the short purple man held.

Vegeta's demeanor changed for a moment between attacks, and Kibito saw something click into place in his eyes. Realization of defeat perhaps…? Maybe it would be just a little more until the short man gave into the urges that were clearly plaguing him. He pressed the attack, tapping into the reservoir of ki he had at his disposal and pushing a little harder on the prince, forcing him to the edge of the ring. He swung a left, a right, and then another left, and much to his surprise, Vegeta didn't even attempt to change direction. Something felt off in the actions of the prince, and suddenly he wasn't there anymore. Kibito felt him reappear directly behind him and felt a cold shock as he realized that the short man had simply leapt over him with a little bit of ki control.

He growled fiercely and spun, throwing his fist out in a back-handed strike aimed at where he assumed the prince's head would be without drawing even more of his strength, to find it sail straight over the spiky black hair as the prince crouched down. Suddenly, he was open, with his entire front exposed to his opponent. Vegeta smirked with the impending victory and shot up and forward, slamming his fist under Kibito's jaw with a mighty upper-cut. Sure, maybe the prince hadn't transformed, but he still packed one hell of a wallop, one that Kibito was sure to be feeling later. He floated backwards, contemplating his next move as time slowed to a stop.

_Vegeta and Goku. Supreme Kai believes that Vegeta will make Goku transform, or the other way around. Loathe though I am to just… lose… Perhaps he is right. Just let it-_

His thoughts were sharply cut off when the ball of ki slammed into his gut, detonating with a thunderclap and sending him plowing into the ground below. During the instance that he had been contemplating what he should do, Vegeta had decided for him. The screams of the crowd slowly began to refocus over the ringing in his ears. His sight came back just as quickly to see the Saiyan glaring down at him arrogantly.

"I told you pinky, I will not transform because you ask of it. I'm guessing now that you knew of the Legend because of Kakarot, but since you do you should know full well what we are capable of… A word of caution: Don't fuck with us."

With that stated, he turned and quietly left the stage under the watchful eye of the crowd. The announcer seemingly jumped back to life, hopping up on the stage and waving his arm towards the retreating form of the prince.

_"Well ladies and gentlemen, you just saw it yourselves! With a rather explosive ending, Vegeta knocked Kibito from the ring in what could only be described as a David and Goliath type match! Don't under-estimate the short ones folks, they're proving to be top competitors today!"_

***IN THE WAITING AREA***

Gohan carefully inspected everything he just witnessed, replaying it in his mind. Vegeta had won, there was no doubt about it, but it felt wrong. He was curious to know what had gotten the prince all fired up before the round had even started, and carefully scrutinized every detail he could imagine. Kibito was a fantastic fighter, of that there was no doubt. His technique rivaled that of Shin's, though in the brief glimpses of the tall man's ki he could grasp, he was significantly stronger than the shorter man. Though at this point it was still just speculation. Yet if it were true that he was that much more powerful, then how had Vegeta won with so much apparent ease? Something just felt off about the whole situation. He glanced over to where Shin was and was rather surprised to see him wearing a cool smile.

_Okay that's weird, his friend just got beaten, with ease, and he's smiling… Too much coincidence, it had to have been planned._

He glanced at the bracket, curious as to the turnout that these events would bring. His eyes locked onto Goku's name momentarily, scratched next to 17's on the bracket. Then Bardock, and now Vegeta.

_But why want him to fight me? What do they have to gain by having him fight me? Unless they want him to fight with dad? But even then, unless they want to demolish the island, there's no reason for it. Gah this is fucking irritating! What the hell do they want?_

"Kakarot. Brat. Come here now."

The gruff voice of the prince pulled him from his musings, but served to blacken his mood further. He could feel the throb of his headache starting to get worse as he glared at him irritably. But obviously he had something to tell them, and so he joined his father and the shorter Saiyan. The prince glanced around and dropped his voice, something flashing in his eyes that Gohan had rarely ever seen; Concern.

"The big one wanted me to transform."

The simple statement sent a jolt down Gohan's spine, and immediately his eyes found their way to the large pink man as he made his way back inside to stand with his partner. Sure it kinda made sense that Shin and Kibito would know about the transformation, after all, they had picked a Saiyan to come to earth. Specifically the first Super Saiyan of this generation. But there was absolutely no reason for any of them to transform here, not to mention that it was downright dangerous. Goku on the other hand didn't seem surprised in the least, sighing heavily and planting his hands on his hips.

"I had a feeling that was part of the reason they were after me. I'm by no means the best fighter that was in otherworld, but I certainly had the upper hand in the power department. They probably want us to transform for a reason though… I wonder why."

Gohan nodded in agreement, fitting another piece of the puzzle into place. Shin and Kibito wanted one of them to transform, and what better way than to pitch a pair of Super Saiyans against each other in a tournament? But then, Ria had transformed earlier in the ring hadn't she? He voiced his concerns, trying to fit the pieces together as he went.

"They can't just be after a Super Saiyan though, or something would have happened when Ria transformed. They couldn't be after the levels beyond could they?"

The three of them were lost in their own thoughts for a moment, contemplating the bizarre duo and their intentions. One thing that they all agreed on without needing the others' verbal consent, was that they would not transform just because those two desired it. Then Gohan noticed, just barely out the corner of his eye, a most peculiar sight.

Spopovich looked like he was suddenly brain-dead, sitting on the bench with limp limbs and staring off into nothing in front of him with his mouth hanging open slightly. Yamu on the other hand, was apparently arguing with the wall, talking animatedly in hushed tones that were too quiet for him to hear. On top of that, it appeared that Shin also had taken notice of the one-way conversation, and was glaring… yes definitely glaring at the duo.

_"Now onto the second round of the championships! We have the winner of our first match, Krillin, versus Shin! Fighters, get on back out here!"_

He banished the thought from his mind, deciding he would follow his father's lead in encouraging the short ex-monk, who appeared a shade paler than normal. They rejoined the main party, most of which looked at the three of them quizzically, but didn't voice the question they all wanted to ask. Immediately, Gohan felt the warm presence of Videl scoot close to him again, brushing her shoulder against his arm as she came to rest next to him. He smiled softly, glad just to have her presence with him here. His mind was so clouded and his frustration was running rampant. It was soothing to have her scent, her calming ki, her warming heat next to him.

He sighed, clapping his godfather on the shoulder as he passed before him, trudging towards the exit to the room like a man being sent to the gallows.

"Hey, give him hell Krillin. You can take him."

Krillin paused, considering him with a sad smile before continuing on his way out the door after Shin. The gathered Z-fighters clustered around the windows, watching his progress out to the ring carefully. Videl settled herself against him slightly, to the outside of the group, leaning against the window frame with her shoulder against his and a curious expression on her face. He already knew what was coming, but it still sent a chill through his limbs.

"What Vegeta said… Is it true?"

He didn't look at her, instead choosing to watch his godfather as he squared off against Shin in the ring.

"Which bit?"

"What do you mean, which bit? I don't doubt for a second the stories he spouted, all the enemies, including himself. You already mentioned that to me. But this… insane idea that you are… I mean the whole universe?"

A sense of dread flooded through his veins at the incredulous tone in her voice. He wasn't prepared to tell her that little detail just yet. He didn't think she was prepared for it yet, and it showed in her voice, at least to him. But the cat was already out of the bag, no sense in trying to hide it.

"As we know it…? Yes, actually. Until recently, that title belonged to Broly. He was the legend that Vegeta spoke of, hence why he called me a legend killer."

An uncomfortable silence settled over them, and he could feel her eyes boring into the side of his head, but he dare not turn to look into those cerulean orbs. He feared what emotions would be evident in their gaze. Fear. That's the last thing he wanted her to feel about him, especially since that day; she had really thought he was going to kill her.

"And… the other bit? He said you were capable of destroying star systems?... I mean I saw the ki blast your dad did on that footage, and it was enormous…"

She trailed off, leaving it open for him to explain. The gong out in the ring rang forth, and the match began. But he wasn't really watching, despite his desire to support his godfather and try to learn something about Shin. He considered how to say what she needed to hear in the most effective way.

"That wave, the super Kamehameha, was capable of destroying this planet Videl… And the one I used to-… to finish Cell, was magnitudes more powerful than that… Vegeta wasn't exaggerating, I have the capability to destroy this entire solar system without a trace."

He unfocused his eyes, staring into nothing as the words left him. He knew she was going to treat him like an unexploded bomb now, why wouldn't she? He had just told her, quite plainly, that there was nobody in the universe who could stand up to him. He couldn't bare the silence any longer though, and turned his gaze to meet hers. He had expected fear, maybe a flinch as his eyes connected with hers. But he had never in his wildest dreams imagined that she would be amused. Yet here she was, a smile on her lips and laughter in her eyes, with her eyebrows arching up into her messy short hair. He felt slightly hurt, wondering if she hadn't taken his words seriously.

"What?"

She shook her head from side to side and gripped his upper arm, holding herself against him and clearing her throat.

"Oh… nothing… Just wondering how, of anyone in this entire universe, little old me caught your eye. I mean, after all, I'm just a little human girl on a tiny ball of dirt in this universe…"

Relief flooded him. That she was making light of the magnitude of the bomb that had been dropped on her spoke for the girl's rational mindset. He let out the breath he was unintentionally holding and nearly gave in to the urge to laugh.

"Well, if I remember right, you came after me actually."

She rolled her eyes irritably and nudged him in the side with her elbow.

"Yea, yea. Whatever. Just remember, Mr. Universe, that this little Human girl will still whip your ass any day, one way or another."

Suddenly, a burst of ki caught his attention before disappearing rapidly again into its usual un-readable form. His eyes snapped to focus on the short purple man in the ring, cutting the rest of the world from his senses.

***IN THE RING – MINUTES BEFORE***

Krillin wiped the nervous sweat from his brow using the wrist band on his right wrist and glared at his opponent, doing his absolute best to contain the apprehension building in his gut. Shin was the epitome of apathy, his face betraying absolutely no sign of emotion as he waited patiently for the round to begin. Krillin could hear the announcer talking, but wasn't hearing a word he said. In his mind he was going through all the things he'd seen Shin do against Piccolo, trying to measure just how tough an opponent he was really facing.

_Okay, so Piccolo said he's far more powerful than we imagined. But Piccolo exaggerates sometimes right? I mean, he didn't seem _that _strong when Piccolo fought him, it just looked like the big guy had an off day! Still, all the same, I'd better not hold back against him. Just remember everything you've trained yourself for Krillin, you have a prize to win so you can finally get away from Roshi! Yea, just remember the prize!_

He swallowed past the nervous lump in his throat, steeling himself against his rebelling body, and dropped into his usual stance; a blend of Turtle form and the Western Monk's style. Shin's neutral façade dissipated as his expression took on an amused air, and he settled into his own bizarre stance. They only stood there for a moment before the gong sounded, leaving a ringing sensation in the ex-monk's ears.

Krillin went on the attack immediately, opening wide the tap on his ki and sending forth a dim white aura. The energy filled his limbs, and he immediately sped right by Shin's defenses, getting in extremely close to the purple man before he could react properly. Krillin's fist found it's mark, striking Shin under the chin, snapping his head up and sending him stumbling backwards. Krillin was so stunned that he had hit so easily that he hesitated. Realizing his narrowing window of opportunity to keep up his advantage, he pressed on, but too late. Shin's eyes found him again, and his face set determinedly with a confident smirk.

Krillin's punches came in just as fast, but Shin effectively countered most of them before they could reach their intended target. Quickly realizing that he was getting nowhere, he shifted his attack, favoring the lightning fast kicks and softening blows of the monk's form of fighting to the Turtle school's heavier strikes. Shin did not immediately catch the change, and Krillin was rewarded with several hits to the short man. A quick punch to the ribs, a kick to the inside of the thigh, a back-hand to the side of the head; none of his attacks were particularly powerful, but combined, they began to take their toll. Shin shifted backwards with the attacks, his eyes concentrating on every move with a steely glint. Krillin noticed the edge of the ring approaching fast, and unleashed the full potential of his ki, forcing the dam open as far as he could. He rained down his lightning fast attacks, focusing on his opponent and making the attacks hit home more and more often. He felt a bubble swell in his chest as they got closer and closer to the edge of the ring, and dared to think that he had it in the bag.

Then Shin flipped on him one-eighty. Between attacks, he took his opportunity to drop back out of range of Krillin's over-extended kick, and thrust his hand forward in a claw with a loud "HAA!". Krillin felt the force of the ki-wave strike him in the chest, forcing him back several feet before he could regain his balance. The invisible ki wave had done its job well, and Krillin growled in irritation.

_Darn! I was so close too! Okay keep it together Krillin, you've done it once, you can do it again._

He squatted further down in his stance, coiling his legs to spring forth and resume his attack, eyeing his opponent for any further weaknesses he could find as they both regained their breath. Shin however, took matters into his own hands, spreading his feet to a horse-riding stance, with his fists planted at his sides. His brow furrowed, and for the first time, Krillin could clearly see the man's ki, if only for a split second.

_Crap-crap-_crap_! Where in the world did all that come from?! Has he been playing me this whole time? Oh, this is about to get really ugly!  
_A burst of air slammed Krillin in the face, making him wince and raise his arms before him in an attempt to deflect most of the gust. When he dropped his hands enough to see his opponent, Shin had let forth a red aura, and was squatting back into his normal stance. A chord of recognition rang in the former monk's head, but he didn't have time to think about it, as Shin suddenly went on the offensive. Where Krillin had the advantage before-hand, Shin now quickly surpassed him. His eyes tracked most of the purple man's movements, but they were so alien and erratic, he was unable to guess accurately where each attack was going to come from.

He staggered back, dumbfounded by the sudden explosion in speed. Each block sent a jolt up the limb that met his attacks, and Krillin found himself quickly running out of energy. In a desperate bid to get some relief from the onslaught, he slammed his ki downwards, shooting into the air and panting in an attempt to regain his breath. He glared down at Shin, who narrowed his eyes up at the ex-monk before squatting low. Krillin felt a pang of fear as he realized what the purple man was about to do, and attempted to get his guard up in time.

Shin shot skywards towards him, faster than Krillin anticipated and leaving a faint red streak behind him. Not one to be outdone, Krillin sent a preemptive kick down towards Shin, predicting where he should have been. But Shin simply rolled under the attack, flipping himself over in mid-air and connecting with a hard kick right between Krillin's shoulder blades. The force of the kick sent him flying towards the ground like a meteor, and with a pained yelp, he made contact.

He hit the tile towards the edge of the ring, cracking it with the force of his impact before bouncing once and rolling to a stop in the grass outside the ring.

***IN THE WAITING AREA***

Gohan stared hard at the form of his godfather, who had finally stopped outside of the ring. He waited a moment to be sure that he was alright, and immediately felt relief flood him when the short fighter stood and brushed himself off with a downcast expression. The crowd was going absolutely nuts, marveling at the show they had just witnessed. Or rather, the show that they had tried to witness. Krillin was already famous for the fight he had with master Roshi back in the twenty-first tournament, where the two of them moved faster than the spectators could track. But the show they just put on for them was far beyond what he was capable as a thirteen year old. The audience didn't need to see every attack though; they could feel the force in their gut every time the two of them made contact. The lights, the flying, it all made sure the crowd was entertained.

But for the Z-fighters, all they could do was carefully watch Shin, who had momentarily slipped up and revealed his ki. The depth of the energy at his disposal was mind-bogglingly huge, and Gohan wasn't entirely sure whether or not even his own was even. That wasn't what immediately stuck out in the demi's mind however, it was how the short man used it. The boost in strength, the drastic increase in speed, the red aura; he'd seen it all before. He glanced up at the purple being and instantly felt his face twist into a snarl.

_The kaio-ken technique. The fighting form of the Kais. I was right, I have to be right! Piccolo knows it too, that's why he wouldn't tell me who he is!_

Apparently, his thoughts were obvious in his expression, because Goku grasped onto his shoulder firmly, catching his attention and forcing him to lock eyes with his father. Long gone was his care-free expression, replaced by the rarely worn grim scowl he only wore in desperate situations.

"Hey! Don't even think about it Gohan! I already know what you're thinking, and we don't know that for certain!"

"Dad, it's the kaio-ken! He's a kai, you have to see it too."

Goku shook his head, his eyes darting towards the subject of their discussions.

"We don't know-"

"Ask piccolo! He knows, and now I know!"

Goku spun him around so that they were face to face, gripping his shoulders hard.

"Okay, so he might be a Kai, I got it. But so what, what are you going to do to him? He's not the Grand Kai Gohan, I met him personally and Shin isn't him."

The words struck home, and Gohan could feel the rage at realizing he was in the presence of a Kai beginning to slip away to a cold emptiness. He had spent so many years wallowing in his hatred of the Grand Kai that he had automatically painted Shin with the same brush. He couldn't find it in him to do anything to the purple man, no matter how much he wanted to. Not one to totally drop his guard, he latched onto his burning hatred, but relaxed his tense muscles as he watched Shin make his way back to the waiting area.

"Nothing… Yet. He's not free yet dad, I'm still going to be watching him. One wrong move though, and…"

"And what? Gohan please, you heard what he said. When he leaves, I leave with him."

"Grrrrr! I know!"

Gohan scowled and rolled his head back, cracking his neck as he fought to control his raging mind. A thick silence settled over them as the others watched for his reaction with bated breath. He inhaled deeply and slowly let out his breath, lowering his head again and taking in his friends. All of them were either watching him apprehensively, or pretending not to be aware of the conversation at all. He turned his head to look once again at Shin, who had paused momentarily at the entrance to the room, and was watching him carefully through narrowed eyes. They clashed momentarily, and Gohan attempted to see through the mask that Shin had over his ki once more before relenting with a heavy sigh.

"Fine… For now."

The Z fighters let out a collective sigh, glad that the threat of an imminent explosion had passed. Gohan crossed his arms and turned away from them, looking back out the window and mulling it all over in his head. He vaguely felt Krillin's ki pass him as he went to settle himself on a bench, massaging the back of his head and getting fussed over by 18.

"Hey Gohan, I gotta ask… Your other name you're using; Bardock? I'm curious as to where you got it from."

The demi raised an eyebrow and looked at his father out the corner of his eye, puzzled by the change in subject. It didn't really surprise him that his father had wandered off to something else already. He always seemed to do that when the tension was thick wherever he went. It was just one of the many ways he would lighten the mood with his presence.

"Vegeta described the last moments of the Saiyan race, and of my grandfather. I figured it was appropriate for me to use your father's name as my alias since I would be wearing some of Bulma's modified Saiyan battle armor."

Goku nodded with a knowing smile, one that unconsciously made Gohan smile weakly beneath his mask.

"I met him you know… In other world?"

Gohan was a little surprised by the statement, as was Vegeta apparently. The prince pushed himself away from his place against the wall where he had been watching their interaction.

"You met your father in otherworld?"

Goku grimaced slightly at the question, scratching his head nervously and staring off into nothingness.

"Well not really otherworld… I got sent on missions to hell a couple times, and most of the Saiyans were there…"

That brought on a heavy silence as those present considered the implications of that statement. But Goku bounced back quickly, shrugging it off and grinning.

"But besides the gloomy décor, I got to meet Bardock! Actually, I met a lot of them, now that I think about it. I met my mother, Gine, and King Vegeta."

Gohan couldn't help his amused chuckle at the stunned expression on the prince's face at that.

"Wait, you met my father as well?"

"Yea! My dad, King Vegeta, Raditz, Nappa, and a few other Saiyan elites that worked with my father before they died all helped me with what I got sent there for too!"

Some of those names sent a jolt down Gohan's spine, especially his uncle's. Memories of that day, trapped inside the Saiyan space pod welled back up in him, and he glared at his father incredulously.

"Wait, you mean to tell me that your brother, the same guy who tried to kidnap me and kill you, willingly helped you? And you let him?!"

Vegeta seemed just as awe-struck as the young demi, and looked expectantly at the dead Saiyan.

"Well yea. To be honest, once all the Saiyans were reunited in hell, they sorta… what's the word I'm looking for… Repented? Of course some of them were already at that point before they died. King Vegeta and my parents tried to remove themselves from Frieza's servitude and turn their lives around, but it was too late. And considering that Bardock and Vegeta are the only other Saiyans in otherworld that have since gained the ability to go super, they pretty well keep the rest in check. Raditz didn't really have a say in the matter."

"My father can transform?"

"Hehe, yea! It's pretty funny too, since he's got that beard. It changes color too!"

Gohan snorted at that, amazed that of all the things Goku had taken away from the encounter with the Saiyans in otherworld, he remembered that their facial hair changes colors when they transform. Vegeta nodded, his eyes growing distant at the new bit of information. Videl shifted her weight to his other side, looking up at him and his father curiously. He looked back at her, raising an eyebrow in silent question to her puzzled glare.

"Sorry Gohan, I'm just trying to imagine you or… well any of you three with a beard. I mean, I've never seen a trace of facial hair on you, and Vegeta…? I could see him with a moustache, but I think that just matches his personality."

Gohan smirked at the mental image of the Saiyan prince smiling evily and twirling a thin moustache around his finger menacingly like they did in the movies.

"Well, it's pretty easy to get rid of hair if you have ki. Trust me, we're more than capable of growing facial hair, but just like you cutting your hair short, it's easier to fight without."

She seemed to consider his explanation for a moment, but was quickly pulled out of her thoughts by the loud feedback from the microphone.

_"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the second match of the second round! Would Videl and Spopovich please make their way to the ring?"_

The name of her opponent brought Gohan right back to the present issue, and he cast his gaze towards the behemoth, who stirred suddenly from his position on the bench across the room. He thought about what the large man had done in his first round, and felt a slight uneasiness wash over him. Videl noticed his stern glare, and nudged him in the ribs.

"Hey, don't worry about it, I can handle this guy. I'm sure of it!"

Her confident statement did nothing to quell the uneasiness he felt, but looking into those excited cerulean orbs, he couldn't bring himself to tell her otherwise. He nodded, trying to compose his face into a reassuring smile.

"Yea, I know you can… Just be careful okay?"

She nudged him playfully and began making her way out to the ring with an excited grin.

"Stop worrying about me! I'll be fine."

With that, she strode out into the sunlight and the uproarious cheers of the crowd, followed from a distance by Spopovich.

"So Gohan… You and Videl, are you two…?"

"We're not mated, if that's what you mean."

"Well… Do you want to be?"

The question forced a sigh from him. Deep down, he automatically knew the answer to that, and it was a definite yes. But then there was the part of him that always held back, no matter how much he longed for it. No matter how many times he tried to tell himself otherwise, there was a constant fear that she would be brought in harm's way if he continued down the way they were on now. He couldn't even bring himself to explain to her the full extent of what it meant to be married by Saiyan standards. As happy as his fleeting moments with the girl had been the last week, he still didn't want to make her a target. If they were to be together, she most certainly would be, and he would be powerless to do anything about it.

"I don't know dad. I really don't."

"… Well… For what it's worth, I like her. I think she'd be great for you."

Gohan sighed deeply, not responding to his words outwardly. Goku searched his son's face for a few moments, allowing the silence to settle. The gong sounded outside, and all of their attention was brought back to the ring suddenly.

***IN THE RING***

Videl sized up her opponent, sitting back in a defensive posture and allowing him the first move as the ring from the gong subsided in her ears. The crowd was deafening, but she shut it out. The only thing that mattered was the monstrosity before her.

_Okay, think this one through. He's definitely improved a lot since last time, or he wouldn't have beaten Killa so soundly… He's got at least two feet on you, and probably close to three hundred pounds… Think, what do you have? You're fast, and you've been trained for a long time to hit sensitive areas. You know how to use ki to improve your strength. If absolutely necessary, you can fly, and you can throw a ki ball. So… outmaneuver and wear him down it is then!_

No sooner had she come to that conclusion than did Spopovich make his move. His brown hair flew backwards as he stormed towards her, one arm retracted for a punch and a snarl on his face. Videl matched his action, lunging forward quickly and darting beneath his outstretched arm before he had time to react, throwing a quick one-two into his exposed side and darting back out of reach as he spun on her. She furrowed her brow, slightly annoyed that her two punches seemed to do absolutely nothing to him. He just dropped his shoulder and pounded towards her yet again, completely disregarding any technique. Yet again, she dodged out of his reach, wary of the arms that were stretched towards her, and this time finished off the maneuver with a hard round house kick that hit him right above the kidneys.

_"Ouch! That has to hurt folks! Spopovich has taken a brutal kick to the back and is struggling to regain his balance!"_

Videl backed off again as he rounded on her once more, seething through his teeth and glaring at her with hollow eyes that sent a shiver down her spine.

_Okay, that is horrifying! I get the feeling that if he gets a hold of me, it's all over. Looks like I made the right decision on how to deal with this bozo. But he's significantly slower than me, maybe I should push the offensive now._

He didn't give her time to decide, as he rushed her again. She side-stepped, brushing aside the heavy punch he flung at her, and used the momentum of his swing to counter-balance herself as she swung up on his outstretched arm. As soon as her body arced high enough, she used a little bit of ki control and flung herself over the limb, using a combination of ki and gravity to kick the behemoth hard in the back of the head. His eyes blanked and he slowly fell forward as Videl landed on her feet behind him. With a loud thud, he face-planted into the tile, coming to a halt a moment later. She breathed heavily, forcing the oxygen into her lungs to recover from the little bit of ki manipulation she had used, and glared down at him, waiting for him to budge.

_"Oh and Spopovich goes down after yet another impressive attack from Satan City's heroine! One!… Two!... Three!... Four!... And Fi-"_

The crowd screamed even louder as Spopovich stirred, an audible growl emanating from his throat as he pushed up from the ground, leaking blood from his nose onto the perfectly white tile. Videl watched, sickened, as he turned to face her, his broken nose twisted off-center from his impact with the ground. Before anyone could stop him, he reached up and grasped the protrusion and jerked it back the other way with a loud pop. Videl tasted bile on her tongue at the spectacle, staring at him in open disbelief.

_Okay, he's definitely tougher than I gave him credit for… A hit like that would have knocked most fighters out cold for hours! And what was that with his nose?! Gross!_

He began breathing faster and faster, hissing through his teeth and snarling at her. She settled back into a defensive stance again, awaiting the charge she knew was coming. Like an enraged bull, Spopovich roared in anger and full on sprinted at her, coming at her quicker than she anticipated. She leaned backwards, allowing his wide hook to pass just above her chest, ruffling her shirt as it passed over. Continuing with the motion, she planted her hands and flipped over backwards, kicking the man below the chin as she went. She planted her feet firmly and took her opportunity to strike.

She let out a battle-cry, jumping high into the air so that she was nearly level with his head, and swung her leg around hard. The kick hit him full on in the side of the face while he was still staggered and off balance, and his head snapped around sharply. Too sharply, in fact.

There was a loud, sickening snap that rang through the air, pulling an audible wince from the crowd. Spopovich turned with his head, spinning around and falling forward onto his chest with a thundering boom. Videl landed lightly and gaped at the spectacle before her. Spopovich's face was looking up at the sky, but the rest of him was front to the dirt. The shock of what she had just done wore off quickly, and she again tasted bile in her throat as waves of nausea threatened to claim her. She dry heaved, pinching her lips shut with her fist, and averted her eyes from the scene while the crowd fell into a hushed tension.

_"Oh my… Unfortunately, Spopovich appears to have… had his neck broken… I can't believe I'm saying this, but this means that Videl is dis-"_

A loud shriek filled the air, cutting off the announcer and stunning the crowd. Videl's wide eyes searched for the source of the sound, but only found the frightened looks staring right back at her. Or rather, next to her. Her heart jumped in her chest as the giant mass of muscle started moving again. She staggered backwards in shock as Spopovich pushed off the ground with his back still facing her, and his eyes locked directly with hers. No sound came from his throat, but his jaw was working furiously and his eyes were on fire.

_That… is not possible! What the fuck is he?!_

Spopovich stood fully, and reached up to grab himself under the chin, and around the back of his skull. His eyes shut in agony for a moment, and with a series of sickening pops and crunches, he twisted his head back around again so that it was facing the front. Several in the crowd screamed in absolute horror, and Videl was half-way inclined to join them. She fought to control her trembling hand, and dropped back into her stance once more. With the last of her adrenaline gone since she accidentally broke his neck, she realized just how tired she was already getting.

Spopovich wasted no time, charging her again. This time, she was less prepared, and took her first hit of the match. The brute drove his fist hard into the side of her head, and she slammed sideways into the tile before she could react. She looked up just in time to see his foot descending upon her, and rolled sideways to avoid it, springing back to her feet and preparing herself again. She could feel her movements starting to become sluggish, and her head was ringing slightly from the force of her impact with the floor. The giant was on her in moments, throwing extremely powerful punches down on her while she danced around him in a bid to stay out of his reach and countered with her own strikes.

She could feel herself slipping further and further into fatigue, and suddenly her hands were a lot heavier than they had been moments before. She glared at him, searching for how she was going to end the match quickly while she could still win. Obviously knocking him out was not an option, so she would have to get him to fall out of the ring. Just as she was about to put a plan into action to get the man out, he roared and flung his leg around in a round-house kick. Videl, in her preoccupied state of mind, was too slow to get the block up, and it struck her full on halfway between her left shoulder and elbow.

_**SNAP!**_

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Never before had she ever felt such an intense pain. Not even the times she had been stabbed, or the time she had been shot, could compare to this. Several thousand white-hot blades plunged into her arm at once. Not willing to allow him to take advantage of her, she spun with the kick and stumbled away from him before he could follow. She gripped her shoulder, allowing the broken arm to hang limply by her side, fighting the tears threatening to flow from her burning eyes as she gritted her teeth. She panted repeatedly and locked eyes with her opponent.

Spopovich hadn't moved from his spot, and was glaring down at her menacingly with a sadistic grin on his face. Her knees trembled, her arm was throbbing, and her eyes were hazy from the wetness, but the look on his face ignited a rage-fueled fire in her gut, and she made up her mind quickly. Snarling up at him, she held her hand out to her side, palm up. He narrowed his eyes momentarily at her, apparently confused by her actions, right up until she pulled as much ki into it as she could. A faint buzz filled her ears as the blue ball formed in her hand, swelling to roughly the size of a softball. She focused hard, remembering the lessons learned through trial and error when practicing what she was about to do.

She growled in the back of her throat and stepped forward with her left leg, planting it firmly and locking her right one out behind her. She lunged her hand forward, throwing everything she had left behind the blast in her hand. It exploded forth with a crack like a gunshot, rapidly closing the distance to the wide eyed behemoth a mere twenty feet away. The ball struck true, impacting Spopovich center-mass and detonating with a loud bang and a bright flash. Videl struggled to remain standing after the blast left her hand, and she dropped to one knee, returning her grip to her left shoulder as another agonizing wave of pain washed over her.

Smoke wafted up from the arena, blocking the view from the spectators, and flooding her nostrils with the smell of burnt flesh and cotton. She panted, glaring at the spot she had last seen her opponent, wondering if maybe she had gone too far. The smoke cleared slowly, and as it did she could just barely make out the silhouette of her opponent, still standing. She blinked past the shock that threatened to overwhelm her when he became clear, and suddenly the damage was revealed.

Spopovich was bleeding profusely from the gaping hole in his chest. The skin and clothing there had been completely burned away, taking large chunks of muscle with it. Blood began to pool on the ground below him as it dripped from him, but he didn't seem to care at all. He just snarled down at her, and clenched his fists.

The screams of the spectators were completely cut off from her, and she was pretty sure that the announcer was in hysterics now, but she heard none of it. With a sickening moist sound, the hole in Spopovich's chest began to close. First, stings of muscle snapped together, then several blood vessels, then sinew. Skin began to flow over it, and she could only stand and watch in horror as his body repaired itself, just like some of the mutants from that X-Men movie she had seen. She was helpless to do anything as he began to advance on her at a full sprint. She was so tired. Nothing would focus properly. Her arm was throbbing. What she wouldn't have given to just fall asleep right there. But no, she had to stay with it! He was coming at her again, she had to act!

Too late, she managed to struggle to her feet. While she was still slightly hunched over, he reached her. She felt the hand close around her neck, cutting off her breath. She felt the waves of agony as her body was lifted from the ground forcefully. She felt the impact of his fist as it hit her in the ribs, and the resounding snap as something gave under the pressure. But she didn't know what to do about it. Her own body was rebelling against her, and her mind wasn't processing what was happening rapidly enough. Darkness began to press in around her, her head was pounding, but no sound escaped her lips. She vaguely felt herself go weightless, and realized that she had been thrown straight up into the air.

With the pressure released from her crushed throat, air flooded into her lungs, and her mind became slightly less fuzzy. Her battered body turned in midair so that she was now looking down at the ring, just in time to see Spopovich form a bright pink ki ball of his own in his hand. It was several times larger than her own, and she realized that she had absolutely no way to evde it. Even in her numbed state of mind, panic hit home. The large man threw the ball like a baseball, and she watched in slow motion as it arced upwards towards her, becoming larger and larger in her field of view.

She knew she was about to die, and her eyes shot wide in fear. One thing shot through her mind just before the ball hit her.

_Gohan! Where are you?! I need you!_

She loosed an agonized scream as fresh waves of agony filled every piece of her being, and blackness swallowed her.

**A/N: Yessssss… YESSS I can feel the hate flowing through you. Embrace it. Let it feed you! In all seriousness though, this one was a heart-pounder to write out (at least the last bits were), so I hope it was just as much a rush for you all. Now, before you all band together with your pitch-forks and torches and stone me to death for leaving it here… I had to cut it off here or risk having a 20K+ word chapter, because I just kept going and going and going. Disregarding my last word, I may even have the next one up before I move! I hope so! Until then, enjoy your day!**


	26. Damn Hormones

**Hey all! Before we begin, I want to make a couple notes here and shout out to a couple of my reviewers. I say let's begin with the reviews, since it will lead into my notes in regards to last chapter.**

**Dyton: I just want you to know that you have **_**consistently **_**given me something to laugh about, especially in your interpretations of my own sense of humor. Yet again, you made a horrible night at work better with the mental image of Vegeta in a top hat and monocle, and I'll be damned if I don't use that one at some point. On a completely different note, you were the first to call out EXACTLY what I wanted to stir in the emotions of my readers! Which leads me to the other reviews I want to mention, and make my point about.**

**To SaintMichael95 (Ignore what I say after the *, that's not for you) and whoever left the guest review asking whether or not that ending was a joke: No it wasn't. And you **_**should **_**feel outraged at what just happened! Why didn't Gohan step in earlier? The tournament doesn't matter to him! *I'll go ahead and ignore the "lacking creativity" bit you lead off with, because (if you are even reading this) you're about to find out **_**why **_**that happened, and I'd like to think that the reason might surprise you. As I said once before in the early chapters of this fic, don't take everything I say at face value. There is a plot to this story that I've had written out for months, and thought of for years. **

**Now, with that out of the way, It's time for the chapter! Please everyone, if I don't mention you're review in these comments, don't take it personally! I read each and every one of them, and I take what I see into account as I go through this. I truly do appreciate every review I get (yes, even the relatively consistent "please add lemon scene" reviews that tend to plague stories that aren't about such things), and it helps me drive onwards!**

**But enough of my rambling! Here's the next one! R&amp;R and Enjoy!**

**Chapter 26: Damn Hormones  
**

***AT THE START OF VIDEL'S MATCH – WAITING AREA***

Gohan waited patiently for the ringing in his ears from the gong to dissipate, and focused on Videl. The dull ache in his head from the combination of the noise and his worries was starting to get to him, but he did his best to ignore it and focus on the fight. She had apparently decided to go on the defensive, and was waiting for Spopovich to make his move. On the whole, he was relieved to see her thinking the fight through, and that she came to the same conclusion he would have. There was just no telling what Spopovich might have had up his sleeve. Then the round began as the giant man rushed forward.

_There you go you great big buffoon, keep rushing her. She'll just slip through your fingers again and again._

She began landing hits rapidly and darting away before Spopovich could return the favor. There was a tug at the corner of his lip as he watched her fight, marveling again at how quickly she was learning everything. Many of the Z-fighters watched with rapt attention, and Gohan felt a nudge at his arm as his father tried to get his attention.

"She's pretty good for a normal human. This is your doing right?"

Gohan simply nodded, his eyes never leaving the fight. He sensed out their ki, trying to see all aspects of the fight at once, making sure that Videl was in no danger. Videl's ki was as he expected; elevated, spiking whenever she dodged or attacked, and fluctuating with her breathing. Spopovich's on the other hand, remained at a constant, perfectly flat level. Gohan's unease continued building as the match went on, constantly aware of the bizarre nature of the giant's ki.

Videl's ki skyrocketed, and in a blindingly fast kick, she spun Spopovich's head right around on his shoulders. Gohan gaped at him, stunned by what had just happened. He saw the horror on Videl's face, and felt her ki plummet rapidly. He could feel his stomach churn, and a wave of nausea washed over him that wasn't of his own body's reaction, accompanied by a heavy throb in his head. He winced, and attempted to shut out the noise of the arena and waves of nausia, focusing entirely on Spopovich.

_Something isn't right here… She clearly snapped his neck, but… I can still feel…. _

His heart jumped into his throat as Spopovich began to move on his own, and a sharp pain slammed him in the head. Gohan leaned against the window, grasping his forehead in one hand and fighting to suppress the throbbing sensation. He managed to recover just in time to watch Videl take her first hit, and another white-hot knife of pain stabbed into his mind. He vaguely noticed a hand on his shoulder and the cautious words of his father, but paid them no heed. All he cared about was Videl now.

Spopovich was wearing her down now, and her ki was beginning to waver. He could see on her face the determination and concentration as she looked for a way to win. Then Spopovich landed the bone-shattering kick. Videl cried out in agony, and Gohan clenched his eyes shut against the pulse of pain that racked his body. He could feel a sharp ache in his left arm, exactly where hers was now twisted at an odd angle. A strange sensation flooded him, a pressure welling up in his gut that he attributed to fear for the woman, who he felt was in serious danger.

_That's it! I need to get her-_

"GRRAH!"

His eyes slammed shut of their own accord as powerful waves of pain flooded him, originating in the back of his skull and sending an electric, burning sensation all the way down his spine, resulting in an itch that felt like it was cursed upon him from the depths of hell itself. He collapsed to one knee, planting one hand on the ground for support and clutching the window-sill. Panicked voices rang out around him, but he could hear nothing, see nothing. Time had no meaning to him, the only things that existed were the furious burning in his back, and the pure instinct to protect Videl. He had no clue how long he was curled up like that, each agonizing second felt like it was both an instant, and yet forever at the same time. The throbbing subsided slowly, and then he heard it. Like a phantom calling out to him, echoing in his head. It was the most beautiful, and yet the saddest thing he had ever heard.

_**Gohan! Where are you?! I need you!**_

The ache in his head vanished completely. His back stopped burning, the itch subsided, and all of his senses returned abruptly. His eyes shot wide open, and the spectacle before him caused him a moment of hesitation. His father was kneeling next to him, shaking his shoulder and looking him dead in the face with a worried expression.

"...-ohan! Gohan! Are you okay son? What's wrong?"

The others were either gathered around or watching out the windows to the room with slack-jawed expressions. Then he heard the scream. It was a high pitched scream, accompanied by a thunderclap, loaded with pain and despair, and it sent a jolt of panic through him, sending his heart somewhere into the proximity of his throat.

"VIDEL!"

His roar shook the building as he transformed, straight into the second transformation. He didn't need to see her battered form to know that she was on the brink of death now, and his Saiyan instincts were now fully in control. Completely disregarding the door, he kicked off hard from the ground, bursting through the wall and into the daylight. His eyes locked onto her falling form as she descended rapidly towards the earth. He was about to swoop in and catch her when a familiar form shot past him in her direction. Vegeta turned his head over his shoulder, the cool demeanor of his shout catching him off guard.

"Go! You'll just kill her in your state! I've got the girl, you deal with that wretch!"

The beast in Gohan's chest roared in approval as the Saiyan prince caught the falling girl with a surprising amount of care, gently lowering them both to the ground. Gohan's eyes did a quick one-over of her from his position at the edge of the ring, and his heart plummeted. Her ki was fading quickly and Vegeta quickly clamped down on her arm after he spotted a spurt of bright red blood, yelling something towards the others. Gohan felt a twitch in his eye, and he snapped his gaze to the ring itself and a very baffled looking Spopovich.

Gohan was not unfamiliar with hatred. Cold and yet so hot at the same time, it fueled his most powerful outbursts. It was the one thing he despised of himself, yet he could never leave behind. Constantly over the last few years he had striven to control his anger, refuse to give in to the hatred that filled him and drove his passion. But not this time.

A deep rumble filled the air, and the ground began to shake subtly as Gohan gave in to his anger. He was deaf to the screams of the public, the faint voices that sounded so familiar to him, and yet so insignificant now. The monster in the ring had done such horrible damage to her that even Vegeta was stepping in to try and save _his _Videl! He had been there specifically to prevent such a thing happening, and yet he had not been there when she needed him most.

"You… BASTARD!"

His roar shook the structures around them as he strode into the ring. Each step he took sent lightning into the tile, shattering it where it struck.

"YOU… YOU KILLED HER! YOU WILL PAY!"

He didn't even notice as the lightning that crackled around him completely burned away the hood and mask covering his face, allowing his white-gold hair to spring free once more. The rage fueled fire that swirled into the sky around him stirred a wind in the arena, thrashing the spectator's clothes around wildly. Spopovich was glaring at him with incredulity, obviously confused by what he was seeing and attempting to shield his face from the storm descending upon him. Gohan didn't even give him a chance to think, darting forward and covering the considerable distance between them in an instant. He balled his fist and drove it sharply up, straight into, and through the man's abdomen.

The warm nectar of life spurted through the hole around Gohan's arm, and evaporated in a steamy puff of smoke upon contact with his burning body. Spopovich's face contorted into horror and pain as he realized exactly where Gohan's hand was. The demi reveled in the terror on his face, letting it fuel his rage filled blood-lust further and eliciting a deep growl from his chest.

"Tell me, can you grow this back?"

He snarled and thrust his arm up, straight under the rib-cage until he found the object of his desire. Spopovich howled in agony and grasped onto Gohan's bicep in a futile attempt to stop him, which only served to burn his hands so severely that they began to smoke. Gohan grasped onto the muscle he was looking for, and with a harsh grin, yanked down sharply. He could feel the muscles tear, arteries snapped completely, and he didn't even want to guess how many internal organs he had just completely destroyed, but each little break inside the man was a victory. He removed his arm from Spopovich's chest, holding the man's considerably large, and still beating heart out for him to see.

The giant staggered backwards a couple steps before dropping to his knees and gaping at the demi in horror. No words left his maw as his mouth worked furiously to inflate the collapsed lungs within his chest, and his hands scrambled around in an attempt to keep the ruptured organs and blood from spilling out of the hole in his abdomen. Gohan glanced at the muscle in his hand, noting that it continued beating, despite being completely removed from the body. Though it brought him a grim satisfaction to know that he was causing the pain the giant was experiencing, it didn't sate his blood lust. His Saiyan instincts demanded more violence and bloodshed. He gritted his teeth and locked eyes with the behemoth. He sharply closed his hand, and the heart exploded, landing in pieces with a sickeningly moist slap all around him, only to be disintegrated in the torrential power of his aura.

He walked slowly, menacingly, towards Spopovich, who was still gaping at him like a fish out of water. The blood pooled on the tile was evaporated instantly by the intensity of the aura flaring around him, and he could vaguely feel the presence of his friends and family attempting to approach him, albeit unsuccessfully. He disregarded it completely, focusing entirely on the living dead man before him. He reached out and grasped the long brown hair at the base of his scalp and pulled his head back so that they were face to face, clenching his fist at his side and leaning in menacingly close to him.

"You fucked with the wrong Saiyan."

He could see the man's brain working furiously behind his eyes, and Gohan was momentarily fascinated by what he saw. First there was rage, then horror, then a sort of satisfaction, and then nothing at all. His eyes clouded over entirely and his gaze became distant. The bizarre ki that Gohan had been feeling disappeared completely to reveal a horrendously weak one. Gohan realized that Spopovich was about to expire, and jerked his free hand to the side, forming a knife hand and plunging into his ki. He formed a thin blade of ki that lined the edge of his hand, and abruptly slashed it through the giant's strained neck, and his head came free of his body without a sound.

Gohan breathed heavily through his teeth, willing his heart to stop pounding in his chest as he glared at the severed head dangling from his fist. Spopovich's expression hadn't changed at all, retaining its horrified visage. The red faded from his vision, and the burning rage in his chest began to recede back into cold emptiness. His eyes began to burn, against his will, and he grimaced against the ache that began to plague his heart.

_She's gone… I didn't protect her when I should have…_

He inhaled sharply and threw the head high into the air, quickly following it up with a ki blast that incinerated it into nothing. His gaze fell upon the decapitated body next to him, and with a roar to the heavens, he extended his hand and let forth a burning heat from his palm that obliterated any sign of Spopovich's pathetic existence. With the deed done, Gohan allowed himself to collapse inwardly completely. Where rage and hatred were dominant moments ago, now there was only agony and loss. He'd never admitted to her openly, but there was no doubt in the Demi's mind. He did love Videl. And now that he couldn't feel her ki, now that he was sure she was gone, the ache in his chest was nearly unbearable.

Gohan staggered towards the edge of the ring, his aura dying rapidly and his hair reverting back to its natural black. He had to see her, his mind was refusing to accept it. He noted dimly through his hazy state of mind that there was a crowd gathered around her. His father, Android 18, Krillin, and Tien huddled around her while Piccolo, 17, and Vegeta all stood away from them, warding off anyone who dared to come near. He staggered over, pushing Goku and 18 aside in an attempt to look upon her again, and pulled up short as his breath caught in his throat.

Kibito knelt beside her, his eyes fixated on her and his hand floating an inch above her partially exposed chest where the ki blast had struck. To his horror he realized that she had suffered from massive hemorrhaging in her right arm and side, and more of her bones appeared broken than not. First glance told him that his fears were true. There was no trace of her ki, he couldn't see her breathing, and she was a dull grey color, with a large amount of her blood staining the grass around her. Desperation welled up in him, and his mind numbed as he watched Kibito's brow furrow even deeper, letting forth a growl of concentration. He attempted to lunge forward and prevent him from doing whatever it was he was doing, but found himself being held back firmly by a set of strong hands. He struggled for a moment, the intensity of his glare burning a hole in the side of the pink giant's head, causing him to start sweating out of nervousness.

"Hey! What do you think you're do-"

"Gohan calm down! Look!"

His god father's raspy voice pulled him up short, and he blinked in surprise a couple times as her ki faintly spiked and leveled off. He glared at her incredulously, for moments earlier he was positive he could feel nothing from her at all. He felt a faint glimmer of hope ignite deep in his chest, and broke away from the hands holding his shoulders. Kibito backed off quickly as he knelt by her side, glaring up at the pink man like a protective bear would its cub. Gohan didn't exactly know what to feel towards the tall man, and Kibito seemed uncertain for a moment what he should do.

"She's still alive Gohan…"

His stern voice fanned the spark of hope into a full fire, and he gently scooped her up into his arms, wincing as he felt several of her bones move in a way they shouldn't have. He spared the Pink man one last look before turning to his father, the urgency to save the girl in his arms flooding into his voice.

"Dad! The lookout!"

"Right."

In an instant, Goku grasped him by the shoulder, raising one hand to his forehead and placing the first to fingers on his brow. Gohan mentally prepared himself for what he knew was about to happen, staring at Videl's face worriedly. A split second later, the two of them vanished with a crack that rang through the air, leaving the audience in complete silence.

***ON THE LOOKOUT* **

Dende prepared himself for what he knew was coming, turning from the edge of the platform where he had been keeping an over watch on events down below. When Gohan's ki exploded so violently minutes ago, he had rushed out from the central building to find a dangerous situation below. With a crack, Gohan appeared, and carrying the battered form of the short girl he had taken to spending time with recently. Dende gave a silent acknowledgement to Goku, who merely stepped back from his son, looking down on him as he laid the girl down on the tile. No words needed to be said, Dende already knew what the demi needed.

He quickly set about inspecting her, wincing in imagined pain as he fully inspected her injuries. Gohan knelt next to her across from him, his eyes staring off into nothing and his complexion pale.

_Oh that's not good. He's gone into shock… I can heal Videl's wounds easy enough, but that's something to worry about too. I can't treat that as easily as just using my ki…_

He furrowed his brow, triaging the wounds and deciding to work on the rents in her arm and side, which appeared the most severe and life-threatening. She was barely hanging on by a thread at this point, but he wasn't willing to let her or Gohan down. Remembering that realistically, he had two patients with him at the moment, he began trying to help Gohan as well, simply by talking to him.

"Gohan, talk to me, what happened out there?"

The demi shook his head, still lost in thought about something, and scowling as more memories washed forth. Dende noticed that while he tended to the various injuries, the Demi's hands never left the girl, as if he were worried she would disappear if he let go. The guardian dumped his ki into her, weaving together the tissue with relative ease, and forcing the bones to meld together as he found more and more injuries of varying severity.

_Wow, this is… just brutal! It's fortunate she's only human. If Gohan or Vegeta were this badly damaged, I don't know if I could do anything for them…_

"Something is very wrong here Dende, nobody should have been able to do the things Spopovich did."

Dende continued working, but allowed some relief to fill him as his longtime friend began speaking.

"What did he do? Tell me about it, something tells me that this goes beyond an unusually tough human."

_Obviously… But anything to get him talking, try to steer him away from any self-destructive thoughts._

"No, he wasn't particularly strong, it's just that… He should have died, Videl snapped his neck and blew a hole in his chest… He regenerated. He simply wouldn't stay down. Until I…"

That statement caused him some pause, and he momentarily locked eyes with the demi. Gohan's pale expression betrayed no hints of regret, but he seemed disgusted at the thought of what he had done nonetheless. Dende pushed the thought aside, focusing on what he had been told.

_A normal human… Regeneration? I guess not normal… okay yes this definitely is worth worrying about, but… how could I not sense Spopovich if he has the ability to regenerate? Surely he would stick out if he had such an ability._

In that moment he noticed that Goku was motioning to him over his son's shoulder. He was pointing down at the demi, telling Dende to look for something, but didn't catch his meaning until he turned on the spot and pointed at the spot directly above his own rear end, mouthing the word 'tail'. Dende's eyes widened and he looked down. Sure enough, wrapped snugly around the girl's arm, closest to the demi, was a furry brown appendage that curled up and behind Gohan's waist.

_How did I not see that before? He must have grown that back when Videl was in the ring!_

"Ahem… Gohan, you've… umm…."

The Demi's eyes lingered on Videl's form for a second longer before coming up to meet his gaze, silently questioning him.

"You're holding her arm still… I need you to let go so I can mend the bone?"

In spite of his worried state, Gohan's face shifted into a confused glare. He glanced down, and Dende saw his eyes snap wide open. The appendage moved then, uncurling from around her arm, and he reached out to grasp it with a wondrous look in his eye.

"My… tail…"

He continued to stare at it in disbelief while Dende tended to the raven-haired beauty. He was nearly done mending the physical wounds on her, but felt a pang of panic when her ki remained terrifyingly low. He pressed a finger to her neck, and registered the still weak pulse that was much slower than it should have been. He concentrated hard, pumping her with as much ki as he could spare, an unfortunately meager amount considering the sheer amount of damage he had just repaired, sending her body into over-drive for blood creation. But even at the rapid rate her body was trying to recreate the cells, she had already lost so much that she could suffer permanent damage from it. Her body simply didn't have enough oxygen flowing through it.

"Gohan… Gohan!"

The demi shook his head, returning his focus to the young Kami. He released his new appendage, furrowing his brow for a moment and wrapping it around his waist, just as his uncle, Vegeta and Nappa had done upon their arrival. With his attention fully on Dende again, his grim expression set, the Kami continued.

"I've healed her physical wounds, but I can't do anything else for her. I'm good, but I can't do everything, and creating blood is something I haven't figured out yet. I've sped up her natural regeneration as much as I can, but she needs some more soon, or she's in some serious trouble. I hate to say it, but some of your human's transfusion techniques are the best thing for her right now."

Gohan nodded solemnly, gulping past the lump in his throat. He knew full well the limitations of his friend's abilities. The enormous scar on his shoulder was a testament to that, and although he had drastically improved over the years, he still had a lot to learn. He remembered just how long it had taken him to recover from both his fight with Broly, and Cell, and that was with his advanced Saiyan genes considerably speeding up the healing process. The crime fighter had barely been prevented from slipping into lifelessness altogether, and she was only human.

"Dad, I can't believe I'm even suggesting this, but we need Hercule. He's our best chance right now."

His voice was faint and strained, and Dende thought he sounded completely worn out. It again struck him how this man was only eighteen years of age, and yet he acted and sounded like some of the most aged Namekians from his old village; Those that had warded off invaders for years prior to his birth, those that were hardened warriors and seasoned veterans of battle. Yet the way he held the girl in his arms, the way he had acted with her in his life, it all gave him a glimmer of hope for the man's future.

_I'm sorry you have to live with all of this Gohan… I'm just glad you have her… Just don't push her away like you did with all of us…_

With another resounding crack, the three of them disappeared, and Dende returned to his post at the edge of the lookout, searching for the source of his unease across the globe. A familiar sense of doom hovered over him, much like the day that Frieza made his initial appearance on his first home planet. Indeed, something was very wrong with the world today.

***AT THE ARENA – PRELIMINARY FIGHT COURTYARD***

Lime turned sharply on her heel again, fuming in the relative silence of the courtyard where the Z-fighters and company had all gathered. The tournament had been halted immediately, both for the fact that things had gotten so out of hand, as well as the damage done to the platform by the enraged super-saiyan. None of them was speaking, each lost in their own thoughts; Even Sharpener and Erasa, who Lime knew were both in a state of shock at the sudden in-flow of information crashing down on them. Lime's own mind was racing furiously as she tried to make heads or tails of what was going on, pacing around continuously. The question that was burning in her brain so brightly was threatening to burst forth. She halted, glancing towards the others once more, and she couldn't hold it in any more.

"What the _fuck _was he thinking?! What happened down there? It never should have gotten to the point that Videl was hurt like that! She could be dead for all we know!"

Her frustrated shout echoed in the open air, and several seemed to share her confusion, namely those that had been in the stands with her, watching helplessly as the girl was beaten to a pulp. Only Chi Chi came to her son's defense, gently holding her other two children by her sides and attempting to comfort them. Neither of them had seen anything as gruesome as what they had just witnessed in the ring, and for it to have been done by their older brother…

"Lime honey, Gohan and Goku took her to get help, she'll be fi-"

"He should have stopped that creep as soon as she got hurt the first time! It was over a long time before he stepped in, so what the hell was he doing?!"

She balled her fists and fumed, her eyes burning as her anger and worry threatened to send her over the edge into hysteria.

"The brat was otherwise… occupied at the time."

She rounded on Vegeta, his statement only served to stoke her anger.

"_Occupied?!_ He let her get hurt! And then you ended up catching her and he just…"

She hesitated, glancing towards the two shell-shocked twins being held by their mother.

"… And in front of the kids?! What was he thinking?!"

Vegeta pinched the bridge of his nose, grunting in irritation and standing from his place at the edge of one of the preliminary rings.

"Quite simply, he wasn't. Surely you noticed Gohan's tail grew back?"

Lime huffed and gritted her teeth.

_Yea I saw the tail! But that has nothing to do wi-_

"There's not many reasons for a Saiyan's tail to grow back. If they're young enough, it'll randomly return. If they get put in severe danger, it can grow back. If their mate is threatened, it will grow back. His grew back in the middle of her fight, and it was purely instinct."

"They're not mated Vegeta! In case you've forgotten, I know about your guys' little mark thing, and I know she doesn't have one!"

Vegeta grunted and crossed his arms, looking thoughtfully at the ground. Lime tugged nervously at the ponytail that was draped over her shoulder and chewed on her knuckle in an attempt to control her raging mind. Bulma interjected into her mental war, clearing her throat nervously.

"I've got a theory on that actually… Gohan's only half Saiyan, so I think it's possible his human side actually made his Saiyan hormones… well… Stronger? I'm not sure exactly how to explain it without actually being a half-saiyan or doing any studies, but I think that combining both Saiyan and Human hormones amplifies each one depending on the situation, such as if someone they're close to is in danger. Also, I'm sure that it isn't an easy or pain-free process. He did just re-grow an entire appendage in a matter of minutes after all. So that would explain why he didn't do anything earlier?"

She looked to Vegeta for confirmation, which he gave in the form of a simple nod. Lime continued to stare at Bulma for a moment, processing what she had said and trying to rationalize it. She took a deep breath to still her nerves, and glared at her irritably.

_Damn her for being so freaking smart… And convincing… I can't argue with her ever!_

She noticed again out of the corner of her eye the torn-up expressions on Goten's and Ria's faces, and felt her body deflate. Her anger left, to be replaced by pity. She sighed heavily and made her way to sit against one of the rings next to the Son family, and reached out towards Ria with open arms. Any self-composure that the little girl had left crumbled away in an instant at the offer, and she rushed into her adopted sister's arms, sobbing out all of her sorrows. Lime stroked her hair and patiently waited for the girl to gain control of herself. Goten seemed to stiffen his resolve, though he sniffled quietly a couple times before silently asking for his mother to pick him up. Ria managed to steady her breathing, and backed away from Lime enough to look at her with hurt-filled eyes.

"What's wrong with Gohan? He just killed him! I know that guy was a meanie but Gohan _killed _him! Gohan can't kill people, he's not bad like that!"

Lime chewed on her lower lip, considering the girl's words. Of course she didn't know that Gohan had killed more than just once. Nobody could bring themselves to tell the twins, or Trunks, that when he "beat" Cell and Broly, it involved killing them, much less his "cleaning" operations in the city. As far as the children actually knew, the bad guys just ran away after Gohan had beaten them.

_How do you explain to a child what Gohan does without totally shattering their image of him? Of course I know why he does it, his mother knows it… All of us do…_

"Ria, you listen to me good and well alright? Gohan isn't a bad guy, he never was. That guy that was in the ring with him really hurt Videl, and Gohan… Errrr… Made sure that he could never do it again. Sweet-heart, sometimes the good guy _has _to kill the bad guy to protect those they care about"

Ria wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, but the tears continued to flow regardless. Her chin quivered slightly and her voice, thick with emotion, nearly broke the teen down into tears of her own.

"But… Why did it have to be Gohan? I've never seen him get so mad before… It was so scary, I didn't recognize him! He's always so nice…"

"Aww Ria… Look I know it's hard to see, but Gohan is still the big brother you know and love. What you saw in the ring isn't him, okay?"

She didn't look convinced, and neither did her brother, though Goten looked surprisingly thoughtful. Lime had a suspicion that he was much more perceptive than he let on, and she wondered silently if maybe he was holding back his own tears for her sake. She thought about how to go about telling them about Gohan, when inspiration struck.

"Think of that person you just saw as a different person Ria… Gohan hides him until he's needed, and he was definitely needed today."

The girl sniffled and rubbed her eyes, trying to stem the tide.

"Like Bardock?"

"Yea Ria, just like Bardock!"

She gave the girl a reassuring smile, or at least the best one she could manage, given her own stressing and worrying. It seemed to help somewhat however, and the corners of Ria's lips curled upwards into a weak smile that still bordered on being a pout. Silence reigned over the group once more as they all pondered their current situation. As of yet, none of had proposed any explanation for the events of the day that made any sense beyond the obvious fact that there was something dire happening on their world; Serious enough for the personal involvement of two Kais, as well as a dead Super-Saiyan.

"Where is she?! Where's my little sweat-pea?!"

They all turned towards the disturbance that jerked them out of their collective state of contemplation. Hercule emerged from the side door he had disappeared into after the preliminary introductions, eyes darting about furiously in search of his daughter and a flushed expression on his face. His blue eyes locked onto the forms of the Z-fighters and his face contorted into a scowl. Lime couldn't help but groan exasperatedly at the sight of the man.

_Oh great… Just what we need right now… The "world savior"…_

"Hey you lot! Where's my Videl?! I saw that Bardock kid with her and now she's disappeared!"

He stomped over and planted his feet firmly in an aggressive stance, looking to each of their faces in the most intimidating glare he could muster. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't nearly as frightening as his daughter's glare, nor were any of the Z-fighters actually capable of being scared by him in the first place. Chi Chi hefted Goten in her arms and scowled towards the man.

"His name is Gohan Mr. 'Champ', how about you use it? And for your information, my husband and son took her to someone who can help!"

The champ wasn't convinced, and crossed his arms defiantly towards the woman.

"We have the best medical facilities right here in this complex, she should have been taken there! She needs a doctor, not some mumbo-jumbo wannabe from the back-woods of nowhere!"

The Z-fighters again felt outrage at the words of the Champ, but none more so than Piccolo, who growled and caught the older fighter's attention. Upon seeing the tall Namekian again, Hercule blanched slightly, but managed to keep his face composed defiantly into a scowl.

"That's no way to be talking about the Kami of the Earth, and I won't stand for it. Watch your tongue."

He let the threat linger in the air, and Hercule seemed to have deflated slightly at his words. He obviously didn't want to believe that there was an actual Kami of the earth, or that his daughter had been taken to him personally, but nothing about these people was normal in the least. Why should he doubt them considering what he'd seen? Looking to save face, or some other meaningless reason, he plowed on. His eyes took on a distant look, and he massaged his knuckles as if preparing for a fight.

"Whatever, all I know is that whenever I get my hands on that Spopovich guy, I'll make what I did to him in the ring five years ago look mild."

Alarm bells automatically went off in Lime's head, and she gaped openly at the man. She wasn't the only one who caught his blunder, though she was the one to speak to it.

"Wait… You didn't… Did you even watch her fight?! Do you even know what happened?!"

He hesitated, his words caught in his throat and he paled slightly under her harsh gaze. The tiny spark of outrage burst into a bonfire at his unspoken confirmation of guilt.

"You didn't! What the hell Hercule? She's your daughter and you didn't even watch her fight!"

Hercule's face fell into a look of guilt and remorse quickly, his complexion paling rapidly. For a moment, he looked so pitiful that Lime almost felt sorry for him. But she quickly discarded that thought.

"No, I didn't. She was doing so well I took the time to… Well that's not important… I have to know if she's alright or not. The guy who told me she'd been hurt didn't say how bad."

He cautiously glanced around at them, taking in their harsh gazes apprehensively. Bulma sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, choosing not to look at the man as she answered his question.

"We don't know Satan… She was in critical condition when Goku took them, and it's possible that… Well I would rather not think about that."

The man gulped past the emotional lump in his throat, steadying himself as best he could before nodding his understanding.

"And Spopovich?"

Much to everyone's surprise, it was Goten who spoke up this time. His small voice cut through the air with much more firmness and determination than the others were used to hearing.

"He's dead… Bardock killed him."

Lime was slightly taken aback by his actions, but easily noticed his quick glance towards his sister. She felt a tug on the corner of her lips at the gesture, as well as the fierce look that he was clearly forcing onto his face. She knew what he was trying to accomplish, and it made her proud to see him doing it.

_He's trying so hard to help her with accepting Gohan's actions… Trying to be so strong for her…_

Hercule regained a little bit of the color in his face at the news, and sighed heavily while running a hand through his thick black hair.

A loud snap rent the air in two, startling several people into yelping in surprise.

"Gohan! Goku!"

Lime's head snapped around, and sure enough, there they both were. Goku with his first and second finger of his left hand still pressed against his forehead, and Gohan, carrying the still extremely pale and bloodstained form of Videl. There was a momentary jolt of panic as Lime took in her friend's features, but it slightly subsided when she noticed that her wounds appeared to have been closed up entirely. But Gohan's gaunt and strained expression sent her worry back into over-drive.

"Gohan! Is she alright?! What's going on, was Dende able to-"

He cut off her question quickly with just a look, and then locked eyes with Hercule.

"Just the man I need. You, come with me, we don't have much time."

Hercule appeared to have ignored his comment entirely, rushing forward to inspect his daughter. He pressed a hand to her cheek, wiping away a little stray blood that still decorated her delicate features, taking her in entirely. His eyes quickly found the rents in her clothing that partially exposed the right side of her chest and left her shoulder bare, and Lime could see the outrage plain on his face. After all, his daughter was barely concealed under the scraps of her shirt, and if one were too look closely, the sports bra she had been wearing was also burnt away on that side.

"Hey! What did you do to her?!"

Gohan grunted loudly in irritation, and suddenly Hercule was staggered back a step as the air was again rent with a loud crack, holding his cheek and the bright red shiner that suddenly appeared there. He blinked in surprise a couple times, trying to understand what had just hit him in the face.

"Shut up old man! Now, if you value your daughter's life, you will come with me now! She's stable for now, but she still needs help, and you are necessary for this."

Lime couldn't help but feel a little bit of satisfaction as she watched his tail slowly wind itself back around his waist like a fuzzy brown belt. But then she remembered that she was still trying to be mad at him, and worried about her friend, and did her best to push her fascination with the appendage to the back of her mind. Without another word, Gohan turned and began making his way quickly towards the medical facilities with Videl still cradled in his arms. The Z-fighters followed quickly, keeping with his hurried pace, and Vegeta grabbed Mr. Satan by the back of his Brown gi top, dragging him along in his slightly dumb-struck state.

***BACK IN THE WAITING AREA***

_I don't get it, Gohan completely destroyed Spopovich, yet Yamu hasn't made his move. I know that those two are Babidi's minions, but Yamu is acting like nothing has happened at all… What is he waiting for? What could that wizard have planned?_

Shin narrowed his eyes and stared at the back of the pale fighter, who appeared to be having a conversation with a wall again. Kibito seemed to be having similar thoughts to his own, and growled softly in frustration.

"Master, what are we supposed to do now? We could not have hoped for a better display of power from any of these saiyans, yet the two of them did not do anything about it. I mean… Gohan's display there was… Unbelievable… Never have I dreamed of so much power existing in a single person."

Shin scowled deeper as memories from ages past came forth into his mind.

"You're still young Kibito. Remember, Goku has shown more power than the young Saiyan, and I don't believe that that was his full capability. Beyond that, I can remember that monster's power, so many years ago. It was many millennia ago, but I can still feel it haunting me to this day… But alas, you are correct. We are still stuck in the same situation; we need to find the wizard, and our only certain way is for Yamu to lead us to him."

"How do we do that? If he is not after energy like we thought, then what could he be doing here?"

Shin considered for a moment how to answer his question, pausing his thoughts only a moment to recognize the presence of Goku and Gohan reappearing at their site. Immediately his thoughts extended outwards to listen in to both of them, absently listening to what was going on. Ideas began forming in his head, none of which he could do without the group of fighters that he had been so wary of enlisting the aid of.

"Kibito, I think our friends will be coming to us shortly looking for an explanation. I think we need to tell them."

"Master! You can't be serious!"

"I am Kibito. We cannot do this alone, nor do I think that Goku will be enough for this task."

"But you saw what Gohan did out there! Your assumption was correct, even if you were not disabled as you are now, the boy far exceeds us both combined in strength. If we give him a reason to, we may not be any better off than Spopovich! Beyond that, I don't trust him. He's too unpredictable!"

"I know Kibito, but we are out of time, and we are out of options. We will have to give him a reason to work with us, and hope that he accepts it. He already knows that we are Kais, as long as he doesn't figure out which, then we should be fine. If the worst happens in that scenario, then I will just have to offer him something he cannot refuse."

Kibito furrowed his brow in confusion, silently asking him to elaborate, but Shin just shook his head. Right in line with his prediction, he felt the presence of Vegeta approaching them at a quick pace. He motioned for Kibito to prepare himself, and silently gazed towards the doorway he knew the prince was going to appear in. At his side, Kibito shifted uncomfortably.

"Master, if you don't mind me asking, why did you want me to merely keep the girl from dying? It is obvious she means something to the boy, why would you not want me to heal her completely? You know it is well within my capabilities, and it may have gotten us in Gohan's good graces."

"Honestly, I don't know if it would have actually helped our situation with the young saiyan. He does not trust us, for obvious reasons. Had you healed her completely on the spot, he could have swung either way. Either he would have begun to trust us, or he would have grown even more suspicious, possibly downright hostile. It was not something I was willing to risk until we know more. Besides, it got us out from under his gaze for a while to think and plan, and opened an opportunity for Yamu to do something in his absence. It is unfortunate that nothing happened, and I am quite sorry that she had to be used that way in vain. There will be much to atone for when this ordeal is over with Kibito, but right now, we need to put the universe first. It is our priority, not the lives of a few individual beings."

They settled back into a tense silence and awaited the Prince's arrival.

***ARENA HOSPITAL WARD***

Gohan sighed heavily dropped into one of the room's many guest chairs, burying his face in his hands. Videl lay in the bed across the room from him, with Hercule by her side and both of them connected to a blood transfusion machine that pumped blood directly from the aged fighter and into his daughter. He felt tired, much more tired than he had felt in a very long time. Mercifully, most of the Z-gang had elected to stay outside of the room, the exception being his family, Lime, and the two blondes. Videl's fragile state was still worrying him greatly, but now the only that he could do was wait or the blood being pumped into her to do its work. In the meantime, he wanted answers, and he knew exactly who to go to for those.

_Those two had better be willing to talk. First dad, now Videl? This is personal now._

His original outburst aside, he had spent a large portion of the last hour contemplating exactly what was going on. Shin and Kibito were of course crucial to whatever was happening, after all, they were what he had so passionately referred to as "fucking gods of the universe". They wanted Goku for something, and somehow Spopovich was connected. By association, so was Yamu, and Gohan knew that whatever was going on went far beyond what he saw on the surface. There was absolutely no way that Yamu or Spopovich could be the reason for Goku's involvement. Not with the pitifully weak abilities they possessed.

He sensed that Vegeta had made contact, and sat back in his chair, glaring at the wall where he could feel the two Kai's masked ki. Just as he had hoped, the three of them began making their way back to the room. He nervously ran a hand through his hair, pausing a moment when he noticed the heavy blood-stains on the green portions of his armor. A chill shot down his spines as he realized what sort of spectacle he had made of himself when he'd lost control. He cautiously glanced around at the others in the room, and wasn't too surprised to see that the blondes were eying him warily, and Ria was pointedly not looking at him at all.

_Good job genius. Sharpener and Erasa might be able to get over what they just saw easy enough, but the twins… You promised to protect them from violence and bloodshed, and then you go and rip a guy apart in front of them… Real smooth…_

He sighed heavily again, and fumbled with the fabric of his glove, which was surprisingly still mostly intact after the beating it had taken in his outburst. He quickly pressed the buttons, and changed in a flash back to his navy gi and red shirt. Something in his actions seemed to stir Erasa's curiosity, and she managed to push aside her nervousness enough to approach him. She never took her eyes from his form as she seated herself next to him, careful to keep a space in between them. Gohan chewed on the inside of his cheek before rubbing his jaw irritably.

"I'm not going to bite Erasa… No need to be nervous."

She searched his face for a few seconds, considering his words. She seemed to make up her mind, or rather, was distracted by the furry brown appendage that twitched around his waist. She stared down at it curiously, her expression tossing between fascination and confusion. She tentatively reached out a hand to poke it.

"Is… Is that real?"

His reaction was immediate, and intense for such a light touch. A jolt shot through him, not one of pain like the times his tail had been grabbed as a small child, but a tickling sensation that sent his stomach into turmoil. The furry tail unfurled quickly, shocking Erasa into backing off with alarm. Freed from his waist, it waved up into the air behind him, as if it had a mind of its own.

"Yea, it's real… And very sensitive."

"Oh! Sorry!"

She continued to stare at it, mesmerized by its movements like a child discovering television for the first time. In spite of the situation they were all in, he felt the urge to laugh at her expression. But that was quickly shot down when Sharpener spoke up; posing the one question he needed an honest answer to.

"So… Is it true G? That you're… You know…? Only half human?"

Gohan swallowed past the lump in his throat and locked eyes with the blonde. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Erasa had emerged from her fascination at his question, looking at him apprehensively.

_Well… Here we go once again into the deep end. I wasn't planning on telling them this bit yet, but I suppose it can't be avoided now._

He nodded, focusing on controlling his breathing and stilling the nerves in him. He was certain that this little bit of information would alienate him from them beyond his actual alien blood. But like all the times before, it was Erasa to the rescue.

"Well duh! It makes too much sense for you to be more than just a human! The tail is a dead give-away 'monkey boy'! Ha! I've been friends with an alien for half a year and I had no clue! So… Any other – um… Anatomical differences that a girl might need to know about? You know… for Videl's sake?"

Lime slapped her forehead with an open palm and Sharpener snorted into his hand as he tried to contain his outburst of laughter. Chi Chi gaped at the girl openly while the other three Son family members blinked in confusion, the meaning behind her question lost on them. Gohan immediately caught on to her suggestive curiosity, and blushed furiously. The other conscious person in the room, Hercule, managed to finally find his voice, and used it to yell in outrage towards the teens.

"Oh that's it! There is no way you and my little girl are going to… You stay away from her you… Freak!"

His insult rang in Gohan's head, but surprisingly it didn't bring the anger he'd predicted. A calm acceptance formed around the word, settling in his mind with a horrible weight that was both painful and comforting at the same time. Lime and Chi Chi automatically came to his defense, preparing to deal with the fool as necessary, but Gohan waved them down.

_I suppose I should be mad but… he's not wrong… I've been saying the same thing for years, and the one time I let someone get too close, they get hurt when I'm at my weakest. I should have known that it would happen._

As soon as the words crossed mind, another thought formed that sank him even further into the depths of sorrow. In the back of his mind, a small voice was subtly whispering to him, _I told you so._

"Hercule, sit down and let the machine do its work, you've got nothing to worry about from me."

Hercule continued to glare at him, but did as he said.

"You're darn right I don't, punk…"

Gohan felt the presence of the two Kai's immediately outside the door, and crossed his arms. He locked eyes with Erasa and tried to give her a weak smile, ignoring her worried pout that no doubt was caused by his proclamation.

"Well, consider today your lucky day Erasa. You get to meet two gods of the fucking universe…"

As the words left his mouth the door to the room opened, and Vegeta entered, followed closely by both Shin and Kibito. Vegeta began to close the door behind him, but Gohan motioned for him to stop, never taking his eyes off of the purple man before him. Shin continued to stare right back, but Gohan noted that Kibito seemed slightly tense.

_Good… I've got their attention at least._

"You guys get in here, you all need to be here for this as well."

His call was immediately answered by a bustle as the entire Z-gang rushed into the small room, crowding it slightly but leaving an open space towards the back of it where Shin and Kibito now stood. Checking to see that everyone was there, Gohan stood, taking his place by his father's side and slowly dragging his hands down the front of his face before crossing his arms in front of him and staring down the Kai. A tense silence settled in the room, only disturbed by the quiet hum of the pump on the machine attached to Videl and Hercule. Gohan took a deep breath and began.

"I don't think I need to tell you why I've brought you here, Kai. Start talking."

***UNKNOWN LOCATION***

A lone light dimly shone in the blackness of a peculiar room. The glow originated from a small ball in the center of the room, but failed to reach more than a foot or two away. There were several figures present, shrouded in darkness as they watched the last moments of Spopovich through his eyes by the crystal ball.

"The human's death is… Surprising… And a setback, is it not master?"

The deep baritone voice rumbled through the darkness, and had any humans been near, the sound alone would have sent a jolt of panic through them. It carried a heavy flavor of evil that stuck thickly in the air. A hushed murmur followed the question, but a shrill, high pitched voice cut through the rabble, silencing it sharply.

"It is a bit, but I think we may have just stumbled upon a gold mine as well! This character here, Bardock I think it was? He's a Saiyan! You see that?!"

The crystal ball flashed brightly, showing the demi in his full ascended glory, with a glowing golden tail waving up into the air behind him, as seen through the eyes of Spopovich.

"A tail! He's a Saiyan all-right! I remember that race of monkeys when they were still in their infancy! They're a violent bunch, and are quite powerful for a race of monkeys, but I don't remember them being blonde…"

The deep voice rumbled forth again after that.

"There were several that entered my domain when they went extinct, I believe that the blonde look is called 'super saiyan', but I thought it was merely a myth. The power of a super saiyan is legendary master… are you thinking what I'm… guessing you're thinking?"

"Oh yes I most certainly am! But, I've just had another splendid thought! Oh yes! There are two others there; I think they're Saiyans as well! Remember earlier, when our two little humans first ran into that group? They were arguing about 'not transforming' in the ring there! They have to be super-saiyans!"

"I understand that master, but from the fighting in the ring alone, we've managed to harvest half of the energy we need. We don't need all of them, just one. The others are not necessary."

"_Half?!_ How did that happen?!"

"The golden one, when he killed Spopovich. He dumped so much energy into him that we were able to take almost all of it through the channel you left open through him. That was clever of you master, giving him the regeneration like that. If only we had predicted someone as strong as this Bardock, we would have been able to gather all of the required energy."

"Hmmm indeed… Oh but this gives me another idea. These Saiyans are inherently violent, and this one obviously has quite a temper! I'm willing to bet the other two are similar as well…"

A heavy silence settled in the room, as if waiting for the shrill voice to continue.

"Ahem… yes master we know this, but… What are you intending to do?"

A shrill cackle rang forth from the darkness, and the Crystal ball froze on the image of Gohan in all of his rage, delivering the final blow to Spopovich.

"Oh, just wait and see! I think you'll enjoy this!"

**A/N: DUN DUN DUNNNN! So, to all of you who questioned my decision to have Gohan not step in earlier, I hope that the cause of his delay was satisfactory! If you noticed, in this chapter I just unlocked many, MANY avenues of approach to this saga, but there can only be one way. I'm mere hours away from getting on the plane to go back home, so I probably wont have another chapter up until I get moved in to my apartment, etc... I'm already brainstorming more ideas on ways to approach the next chapter, and any input will be accepted and appreciated! Let me know what you think, and as always, have a fantastic day!**


	27. The Rabbit Hole

**Hey all! First off, I need to start off with an apology to all of the followers of this story. I promised you a chapter when I got off the plane from deployment nearly two months ago now, and sadly, this is the soonest I was able to actually do it. While the move didn't quite go as planned, I was still back within a couple weeks of that statement. We've all been in that situation where we had to prioritize things, and for the last few weeks, life has been my priority. I got married on the first of this month to the love of my life (who I know is going to see this because she's following it: Hey babe love you!) and have finally made all the moves and arrangements to get my life rolling again the way I wanted. Ironically it was when I got stuck at work for over 24 hours that I finally got the time to finish this chapter and do all the editing. So, I sincerely apologize for not getting this to you sooner and leaving you in suspense. I can't promise that I will get back to the updating every two days type schedule, but I promise you all that I will make a solid effort to post more regularly than once every two months. We're back on track with the story!**

**Now, without further ado, here's the chapter! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 27: The Rabbit Hole  
**

***VIDEL'S HOSPITAL ROOM***

"…Start talking."

Gohan let the silence grow thick after his demand for the Kai to begin. Gods of the universe be damned, he wanted answers no matter how disrespectful some people may think his words were. Kibito in particular looked positively peeved that he would speak to a Kai in such a way, and he inwardly congratulated himself. To him, any inconvenience towards a Kai was just a small portion of retribution for the years of anguish that had been left upon his family. However, Shin seemed in no way affected by his attitude, and closed his eyes with a contemplative expression before he began.

"Obviously you know of my lineage, so I won't go into any of the details about that. Suffice to say that at one time, I was a brother to four other Kais, each of us a thousand times more powerful than the shape-shifter you called Frieza."

_Heh, the old fool has certainly slacked off over the years then if Krillin gave him a hard time._

He noticed to his amusement that Shin paused, and for the first time he showed what resembled irritation towards the Demi.

_Oh, so he can read minds. Well then…_

Shin cleared his throat and continued, shaking his head and refocusing his eyes.

"Then, a few thousand years ago, a being called Bibidi appeared from the outskirts of the universe in a tiny galaxy at the edge of our domain. This creature had discovered a magic of sorts his race was able to harness. You would call it ki manipulation, but the strange thing about it is that he found the energy within others instead of himself. Along the way he became too ambitious, and the power drove him insane. He created a being so powerful, so corrupt and vile, that he could destroy galaxies on a whim. And destroy he did. His creation is known as Majin Buu, and with Buu's help, Bibidi went on a spree of destruction. The other four Kai's fought Buu one at a time as they ran into him, and all of them fell, either being destroyed outright, or being absorbed by Buu. I managed to escape with my life, but I was crippled by Buu, and in my weakened state, I was… Cursed, if you will, by Bibidi. I will never again be able to reach my former power."

Gohan cut him off, voicing his irritated thoughts.

"This is a fascinating story, but obviously this Bibidi, and Buu, are no longer around. You are alive after all. So then, why are you here?"

Shin sighed heavily, clasping his hands behind his back.

"That's just it, Buu was not killed. In fact, he's here on your planet."

Several of the group cried out in shock at the proclamation, and Gohan tensed nervously. Shin motioned for them to settle, and continued rapidly.

"People, trust me if he were conscious right now, you would all have already been dead. No, he's locked inside the pod that Bibidi was forced to seal him in when he transported him here. See, when Buu started absorbing more and more people, he began to gain intelligence as well as power. He began to rebel against Bibidi, which proved to be Bibidi's undoing. While powerful in his own right – and never underestimate the power of his species – he was quite fragile physically, which made it easy for me to ambush him here on your planet and prevent him from unleashing his monster. Buu has been locked up here ever since, dormant."

An uncomfortable silence settled on the group, in which Gohan realized something that immediately sent his heart pounding and outrage bubbling in his gut. But Vegeta beat him to the outburst that was prepping to come forth.

"You mean to tell me that this Buu creature was completely vulnerable and you _didn't _destroy it! Are you insane?!"

Shin looked towards Kibito out of the corner of his eye before focusing solely on Vegeta.

"At the time, it was reasoned that Buu was not a threat any more. Locked inside that pod he is powerless, and since Bibidi was the only one we were aware of being capable of unleashing him, we did not wish to risk inadvertently releasing him. He was bad enough while under the limited amount of control that Bibidi had over him, for him to be totally free to do what he wished…"

He trailed off, but none present had any trouble piecing together what he was implying. Gohan shook his head, furrowing his brow and carefully watching the Kai.

"And let me guess, that decision came back to bite you in the ass? Someone has discovered how to open the pod."

Shin nodded, refocusing his attention on the demi.

"Exactly. Bibidi had a son before coming fully into the light; Babidi. Babidi is just as twisted and insane as his father, courtesy of the same power he shares with him. Kibito and I discovered his presence here on your planet some time ago, and we've been trying to find him since. There is no doubt, he means to unleash Buu, and we know he has already found the pod."

A quiet buzz of nervous conversation broke out among the group, but Gohan still saw the holes in the story that were itching at his conscience.

"If this Babidi is here, and he has Buu, then why hasn't this thing been unleashed yet? You said Babidi knew how to get him out right?"

He took a quick glance towards his father, who was staring at the ground with an uncharacteristic frown lining his face, and checked on Videl again. Satisfied that she had not slipped any further, he returned his gaze to the Kai.

"More to the point, what is the connection between my father, and those two whackos that I'm positive are a part of this; Spopovich and Yamu?"

Shin nodded, and the room quieted once more as all eyes were now glued to the purple man.

"Remember that I told you Bibidi's power came from others? Buu is the same way. He absorbs the energy of those he consumes and adds it to his own. When Bibidi put him inside his pod, he was weakened considerably from his fight with me. Beyond that, I think that over the millennia, Buu's power has dissipated into nothing while dormant. Babidi must know this, which is where Spopovich and Yamu came in."

Gohan's gut flared with rage at the thought that two humans would willingly help such a vile creature to end his world, and to kill those he cared for. Shin again saw what he was thinking and held a hand up to stall Gohan before he could speak.

"Spopovich and Yamu are not in control of their own actions. One of Babidi's many abilities is mind control of a sort. He probes the mind of those he wishes to control, searching for any evil, or even misplaced hatred in their heart that he can exploit and feed, until the only thing remaining is a shell of what once was a man; a slave to Babidi's will. Those two were sent out to collect energy for Buu's revival, of that I'm positive. However, the means for them to accomplish this are unknown to me entirely."

Gohan's brain sped through the information, piecing together the puzzle and filling in the blanks quickly. He assumed rapidly what the course of action the Kai would have taken was, and was rewarded by a subtle nod of the short man's head that accompanied a burning in his gut.

"Our plan was this; Force Spopovich and Yamu to make their move, and when they return to Babidi, follow them. Your father was intended to be the bait for this. His power was greater than those that were already in other-world even before he died, despite his youth. But seeing as you presented them the perfect opportunity and they didn't take it… we aren't sure what to do now."

Gohan breathed deeply, willing his heart to stay calm as his anger began to rise again.

"You mean to tell me that you were going to just throw my father to the wolves, use him like a battery to power what you are telling me is the nastiest piece of work that has ever plagued this universe? You let Videl go into the ring with Spopovich, _knowing _what he was?"

He laughed dryly, feeling absolutely no amusement at the thought. Goku tensed at his side, as did several other fighters in the room, who watched the two of them carefully.

"I tell you what, you Kais have guts, playing with people's lives like you do. My father, Videl, the people of this planet… I've got half a mind to just send you back to otherworld myself, but then you already know that don't you?"

"Indeed so… But surely you realize what would happen if you did-"

"Yea I know! Just tell us what needs to happen Kai."

Shin sighed and looked around at the gathered fighters one by one, lingering on Vegeta and Goku the longest before returning his eyes to Gohan.

"We need to flush Babidi out of hiding, and right now the only way we're going to do that is through Yamu. It'll be more difficult without Spopovich, but there's nothing to be done for that now…"

In spite of his outward appearances, Gohan felt a pang of guilt for the way he had acted. It wasn't that he was sorry he had dealt with Spopovich the death blow – far from it, he would do it again if he had to – but that was one more link to Babidi he had severed. Shin glanced at him curiously for a moment, and Gohan swore he saw the corner of his mouth twitch. Brushing aside his minor feeling of guilt quickly, Gohan looked towards his father.

"So we get the information out of Yamu? That seems like the hard part, if you're not lying about this Babidi character. Once we find him, I can deal with him easy enough."

"Do not under-estimate the power of Babidi mortal! Greater men than yourself have fallen to him and his father's skill since your race was in its infancy!"

Gohan's attention was quickly caught by the harsh voice of Kibito, who had finally spoken for the first time since entering the room. Gohan chewed on the inside of his lip and glared down the pink giant, holding his tongue back from releasing a torrent of colorful insults. But not before he sent him a message with his thoughts that clearly read "Fuck off". Shin cocked an eyebrow towards his companion and scowled thoughtfully.

"Be calm, Kibito… Now is not the time to be getting offended by our friend here. We need to come up with a plan, and quickly. We don't have much time left."

"I may have to work with you Kai, but make no mistake; I am not your friend. When this is over, you're going to leave."

Gohan stared hard at the purple man, daring him to contradict his statement. Shin's face remained blank of expression, and for once Gohan wished he shared the Kais' telepathic abilities. No argument came from either side as silence reigned over the room, pierced every few moments by a quiet beep from the machine pumping blood into Videl. Each person was lost in their own thoughts about how to deal with the situation on hand, so Gohan took the opportunity to check on Videl again.

Her skin had taken on a much brighter sheen, and her breathing had steadied considerably, as well as her ki. He strode over next to her and pressed a finger to her neck, and immediately found a pulse, much stronger than before. He watched her carefully, searching for any sign of consciousness behind her peaceful mask of sleep. Once he was certain that she was still unconscious, but okay, he returned his attention to the group.

"So then, how do we find Babidi?"

***BABIDI'S HIDEOUT***

"I don't care how you do it, just get them here!"

The shrill voice erupted in the darkness, followed quickly by a silence as the face of Yamu stared out through the crystal ball in the middle of the room. His voice echoed in the air, filled with fear and anxiety.

"But master, I have yet to gather the energy as you requested. Would it not be a better idea for me to wait until a better opportunity presents itself? Without Spopovich-"

"He served his purpose! Now I'm changing yours, and you had best fulfill it or you'll end up like your friend!"

"Y-yes master… Right away!"

The crystal ball blanked as the connection with Yamu was severed. The heavy baritone voice from before made itself known again, but its owner remained shrouded in shadow.

"Master, are you sure this is wise? Bringing those three here is foolhardy, especially since we don't have the required energy for Buu."

"Oh what do you know?! Don't question my decisions; I'm the master-mind here! You'll see the brilliance of my plan before long!"

"Yes master… However, I will meditate until their arrival… Just in case…"

"Fine, do what you will! It won't be necessary though, mark my words!"

***VIDEL'S ROOM***

"So basically, what you're saying is we need to provoke Yamu into either attacking or fleeing?"

Krillin crossed his arms and glared at the ground, reflecting the expression that decorated the faces of most of the gathered Z fighters. Even the blondes - who were still just trying to keep up with the fact that they were in the presence of what roughly translated to two gods - were listening intently and trying to brainstorm. Shin stood apart from the rest, his face still composed into a neutral mask, and nodded towards the short fighter.

"Correct. The original plan was for Yamu and Spopovich to make their move when they saw Goku in his Super Saiyan form, but that obviously was not enough. Gohan proved that for us. So now we have to force his hand instead of just inviting him to act. I -…"

He trailed off and shifted his gaze quickly to the bed that Videl was laying in. Silence hung in the room, and the machine quietly shut off as its time was up. Gohan followed his gaze and felt a flood of both relief and panic at the pained expression on her face. On one hand, he knew that she was beginning to function normally again. But on the other, the quaky breathing and pained scowl sent his mind into protective overdrive. His instincts told him he needed to stop whatever was hurting her, and he immediately rushed to her side. He pressed a hand to her forehead, checking for a fever. She let out a gentle groan at the contact, and he furrowed his brow in concentration. Across from him, Hercule looked like he was about to move in to protect her, but seemed to think better of it. The generous donation of blood that he had given her had left him tired and winded, and he already knew not to cross the young demi.

"She'll be coming around soon. Do not worry for her too much, she will be fine. She's starting to regain some of her mental functions, and remembering what happened. Right now we need to focus on Babidi. Unless Yamu is going to be dumb enough to attack us, and then run straight back to his master, I doubt this is going to be-"

Gohan felt the vibration in the air long before his sharpened senses caught the heavy scream and spurt of power from just outside the building. Reacting on instinct, he threw his arms outwards, projecting his ki in a shield bubble around the entire group, cutting clean through the chairs and spare beds in the room as the wall of the bubble formed like a knife right through them.

_**BOOM!**_

The floor shook beneath their feet, and a huge portion of the wall and ceiling exploded in a flash of light. Gohan growled and focused on keeping the shield up until all of the debris from the building were safely on the ground around them. He opened his eyes and glared out of his protective bubble with fire in his eyes. Yamu stood there, one arm outstretched and a panicked glare on his face as he panted to regain his breath. Without a backwards glance, the fighter turned tail and shot into the sky, leaving a blatantly obvious white trail of ki behind him as he fled the scene. Krillin slowly stood from his position where he was protecting his daughter, and blinked in surprise at the gaping hole left in the wall and the disappearing form of their assailant.

"Well I'll be damned, he is that stupid."

Shin recovered quickly from his momentary shock, and pointed after the streak in the sky. Goku and Vegeta followed his gaze.

"Quickly, we need to stay after him!"

"Right."

"Oh no you don't Kakarot! You and I have unfinished business!"

"Vegeta we don't have time for this right now! I'll fight you later, but let's deal with this guy first okay?"

"Hmph… Fine, but I'm going to hold you to that statement."

Goku glanced back at his family, lingering a moment on his wife with a sad smile before locking eyes with his son. Gohan nodded slightly and pointed after Yamu with his chin.

"Go, I'll be right behind you. I'm going to make sure everyone else stays safe."

Shin immediately shot off into the sky, closely followed by Kibito, Piccolo, Vegeta and Goku. Gohan refocused his attention to the rest of the Z-fighters, who all looked to him for direction.

"Tien, Yamcha, Krillin… You guys can come and help if you want, but I don't know how useful you will be out there. It may be best for you to stay with the others."

Krillin was the one to speak up for the group.

"You're probably right bro, but I get the feeling that you might need all the help you can get. I'm going."

"As am I."

Tien set his brow and stepped away from Launch, who was as serious as Gohan had ever seen her in her blue-haired state. Yamcha however, held his hands up defensively with a sad smile adorning his features.

"I think I'll have to sit this one out. I haven't been training as much as you guys, so I doubt I'd do more than get in the way. You should take the Android twins though, they can certainly hold their own in a fight."

"You must be out of your mind if you think I'm going to leave my daughter without Krillin here to watch her. No, I'll be staying with the non-combatants. 17, you should go."

The black haired android rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, but didn't argue. Gohan nodded and looked to his godmother.

"Bulma, can you get the others and take them to the lookout? I've got a bad feeling about all this, and I'd rather be safe than sorry. And…"

He glanced towards Videl and her father, who was hunched over her protectively as if he thought the building was going to fall on top of them both.

"Take care of Videl please? Erasa can help you get her cleaned up and –"

"Gohan, don't worry I'll take care of it all. They'll all be safe."

Gohan nodded worriedly and sighed through his nose. A scuffle and faint grunt rang through the air from his left, and the three younger Demi-Saiyans rushed forward to halt before him with accusing eyes.

"Big brother, why don't you want us to go with you?! We can fight, and Ria is a Super Saiyan now!"

"Yea, I can help!"

Gohan felt pride at their enthusiasm to fight and protect their family, but knew all too well that they would be a weak point if they got caught in an all-out battle. He locked eyes with Lime, who was nervously tugging on a stray lock of hair that fell over her shoulder and chewing on her lip. Gohan nodded and knelt before his little sister, who was at the head of the group.

"I have a mission for you three. If that Buu monster gets by me, it'll be up to you three to protect everyone okay? It's the most important mission we have. Lime, Mom, Bulma, Videl, even Little Marron… They're all going to depend on you to protect them okay?"

The three demi-saiyans were visibly put out by his rejection, but perked up at the talk of their "mission".

Without warning, Lime rushed forward and flung her arms around his neck, holding him close in a tight hug. Gohan gently grasped her shoulders to pry her off of him, and spoke softly to her to help alleviate the fear that was evident on her face.

"Lime, I'll be fine, don't worry about me."

"Something tells me I have to this time Gohan. Please, whatever you do, just be careful?"

"I'll see you in a few hours. All of you…"

Ignoring the sinking feeling in his gut, Gohan spared one last longing look at Videl before turning on his heel and shooting through the hole in the wall after Shin and the others, closely trailed by Tien, Krillin, and 17. With their absence, the destroyed hospital room fell into a hushed silence. The remaining members of the Z-gang looked at each other, seemingly unsure what to do. Bulma sighed and took charge of the situation.

"Alright, no sense in waiting around for the world to end, we need to get moving. Hercule, Yamcha, Chaiotzu, Sharpener, kids, 18, if you want to come with me we'll get the jet set up. Lime, Erasa, and Launch, could you please get Videl cleaned up and ready to move? If she comes to, call me immediately."

Without a word, the others began doing their part, each lost in their own thoughts about what was going on elsewhere in the world.

***SOMEWHERE OVER WEST CITY***

Gohan dug deeper into his ki, propelling himself even faster through the air. Ahead of him, he could faintly see the specks that were the original group of fighters that left. He knew that he was trailing the other Z-fighters that had left with him by quite a margin now, but he was too focused on his target to care. Moments passed and they were beyond the outer boundaries of West City now. He pulled closer and closer to the lead group. He could just barely feel the bizarre ki of Yamu ahead of them, at the edge of his senses.

_Damn, he's faster than I would have originally given him credit for… _

"Good, you're here. We're close now, I'm sure of it."

Gohan pulled up next to his father, his navy blue gi flailing about him in the intense wind. The two of them shared a knowing look, which gave Gohan a warm feeling that bubbled up in his gut.

_Just like the old days…_

"Not quite Gohan, despite what you may think about your past enemies, Babidi and Buu are far worse than anything you've ever faced before. Even Cell would cower in fear if he were forced to face them."

Just like that, the fuzzy feeling in his chest evaporated into irritation.

"Stay the hell out of my head Kai! Just because I haven't decided to send you packing back to otherworld doesn't mean that you can butt in whenever you want."

"You know I'm right though. Do not underestimate the power that Babidi possesses especially. I'm not particularly worried that any of you are at risk of being controlled, but Bibidi had several other powers besides enslaving those with impure hearts, and who knows what else his son may have discovered."

Gohan growled irritably but didn't retort. Slowly, the others caught up with them just as Yamu began making his descent. Any irritation he had held for the Kai disappeared beneath the heightening of his senses. Everything around him sharpened into a rarely felt clarity that only occurred when he was fighting. Yamu was still out of visual range, but Gohan could feel his ki ahead of them as he approached the ground.

"Alright, we need to get in fast, find the wizard and put him down before he can find a way to -…"

Without any warning, Yamu's bizarre ki disappeared. Gohan couldn't feel any trace of it at all. It had quite simply blinked out of existence.

"Dammit!"

The group pushed themselves to the last place they could feel Yamu's ki, and quickly descended one by one into a valley nestled between a range of sharp looking mountains. Gohan was the first to touch down, and immediately his sharpened senses went into overdrive, taking in all of his surroundings in a blur. He gritted his teeth as his eyes darted to each member of the group while they landed, and his knuckles strained the skin over them until they shone white. The hairs stood on the back of his neck and his instincts were shouting at him to hide.

"Get out of sight! Stay on your guard, I think our friends set a trap for us."

Not needing to be told twice, or at all in Goku's and Vegeta's case, the group concealed themselves from the valley below as they peered around the rocks on the side of the mountain. They had settled on a shelf about halfway up one of the mountain-sides overlooking a lush green valley neatly parted into crop fields by local farmers. Gohan's eyes scanned the valley, taking in every detail until he felt his stomach burn with hatred and anger. There, barely recognizable anymore, was a burnt down and completely destroyed structure that could have only been a home. Peering closer at the scorched earth, he could faintly make out the charred remains of four people, two of which were small enough to have been Goten and Ria.

"There's no doubt, this is the work of Babidi and his minions. There's something about the energy here, it's familiar…"

Gohan's eyes darted towards Shin, and he was barely able to contain his temper at seeing the thoughtful look on the Kai's face.

"I don't care if the energy came from your mother, whoever did this will pay!"

The others eyed Gohan warily at his barely restrained outburst, and Kibito tensed as if preparing to strike the demi. The only two who seemed unfazed were Shin and Piccolo. Shin appeared lost in thought, his eyes distant and his mouth slightly agape, while Piccolo was continuously scanning the valley below.

"Wait… There… That can't be normal."

Gohan tore his eyes away and focused down to where his former mentor was pointing. In the middle of the fields was a barren patch of earth that appeared to have been recently tilled. Planted right in the middle like a root ready to be picked was a white dome. They were too far to tell for certain, but Gohan had a gut feeling that whatever that thing was, it was where they needed to be. As if on cue, a dark speck appeared on the white dome and expanded to the side to reveal a door swinging outwards. Three figures appeared from the dome; two peculiar looking humanoid creatures that looked more insect than anything, both flanking a taller figure that seemed to be a shirtless human that was all too familiar to Gohan.

_There's my prey._

"That's Yamu… but who are those two? Is one of them Babidi?"

Shin shook his head, scowling down at the trio.

"No. Babidi is barely knee height on most of you, those must be more of his minions."

Piccolo growled deep in the back of his throat, and Gohan could already tell what was going to come from his mouth before he even said it.

"It's too easy. They led us right to them, and now they're practically holding the door open for us. This is definitely a trap."

Shin nodded, and Goku scratched the back of his head anxiously as he peered down at the subject of their attention.

"I agree, but what do we do about it?"

"Spring the trap."

Gohan blinked a couple times in surprise at Shin as he realized they both had said the exact same thing in unison. Shaking off his momentary shock, Gohan nodded towards the rest of the group and spiked his power to just below Super.

"Alright, strength in numbers right? If you run into trouble, call."

The others nodded grimly, and as a group raised their powers in preparation. Shin held up a hand to stall them and looked to each of them in rapid succession.

"Before we go, don't forget our primary target is the most dangerous. Beware tricks of the mind, they will be far more dangerous than any physical foe you find in there."

The corner of Gohan's lip pulled up into a snarl, but he conceded that the Kai was probably right. He was about to leap from the shelf and into the air when Goku firmly grasped him by the shoulder. Gohan cocked an eyebrow at him, but Goku just smiled that carefree smile.

"Everyone grab on, let's give them a bit of a shock."

Realizing what Goku was about to do, Gohan nodded and grabbed onto the back of Shin and Kibito's robes before they could protest. He wasn't very gentle, but neither of them showed any outward sign of discontent. He sensed his father shift ever so slightly as the other Z fighters made a chain, and the familiar sensation of being pulled through a narrow rubber tube overtook him again. When his senses came to him again, he felt a jolt of excitement at the sight directly before him. He had come face to face with Yamu, who was stricken with fear at the sudden appearance of so many fighters. Were it possible, his pale complexion would have gone even whiter. Gohan reveled in the power of knowing the fear he was putting into the man.

"Hi there."

Gohan plastered a menacing smile on his face and released the two Kais. Yamu made to retreat into the dome again, but Gohan would have none of that. He lunged forward and planted a hard kick right in the man's chest, sending him soaring up and into the edge of the door-frame of the dome. The metal alloy bent and creaked under the strain of the impact, forming rapidly around the body that was suddenly slammed into it. It curled in just enough to catch his weight so that his legs and arms dangled below him limply in a comical imitation of a piñata. His to buddies quickly fell to the rapid onslaught set on them by Piccolo and Vegeta, and soon the air became still again. Satisfied that the three minions were at the very least unconscious, Gohan squared his shoulders and glared into the darkness of the structure before him.

"This is it. Stick close."

With that statement he effortlessly transformed into a super Saiyan and stepped through the threshold, slapping aside Yamu's dangling limbs like a curtain of beads as he went.

***ELSEWHERE IN THE SHIP***

"Lord Babidi, they breached the defenses effortlessly. They have entered the ship and are now in the first chamber."

"Good… For this to work I may need some time. How many are there?"

"Erm… Nine in total lord, including the Kai and his body guard."

A high pitched cackle rang from the darkness that bordered on the insane.

"Good! You've brought fuel for the fire my good Kai, and now I will finish what my father started!"

A moment passed while Babidi continued to laugh maniacally in the darkness of his own thoughts.

"Umm… Lord, what are your orders?"

"What? Yes, my orders… Nine you said? Hmm… Send in Pui Pui and his team, they should be able to handle the majority of them. Have Yakon woken, and find out Dabura's condition. I would rather be safe than dead."

"Yes Lord."

***ENTRANCE OF THE SHIP***

Gohan balled his fists at his side and glared into the darkness that seemed to press in on the group and muffle the light emanating from his super saiyan form. His feet clacked loudly on the floor that seemed to be made of the same material as the outside of the structure. He was so focused on observing what was in front of him that he failed to notice the faint hiss that tickled the air behind him until the door that had swung outward earlier slammed closed with a thundering boom that echoed off of the domed ceiling. Yamu's crumpled body fell into the entrance chamber behind them with a sickening thud, and what little was left of his ki dissipated completely.

Gohan tensed, as did the rest of the party, each facing outward from the center of their group in preparation for a counter-attack, but none came. In the imposing darkness, a second faint hissing could be heard, and then the lights came on. Gohan shielded his eyes and grunted in pain as his pupils struggled to close out the worst of the light. Once the throbbing in his head subsided enough for him to look past the hand he held before his eyes, he scanned the surprisingly small room. There was Yamu's tattered corpse, and a hard grey material that made up the floor and walls. There was nothing to distinguish the entrance they had come through besides the twisted and bloodstained chunk of metal peeled back where the Earthling had been wedged.

The rest of the Z fighters and the two Kai's looked around the room cautiously, but relaxed when they realized that they were alone. Krillin planted his fists on his hips and glared at the ground irritably.

"There's nothing here. Now what?"

Frustration welled up in Gohan's chest at his words.

_Why would Yamu lead us to this place? It could have been a trap, but there's no way this structure could keep all of us in… What was the point? I can still feel ki coming from below us but how do we get there?_

"We need to go down… they're below us. Dad, do you think you can IT us down there?"

Goku shook his head solemnly and continued to look about the room. Vegeta snorted and leveled a palm to the floor in preparation to blast it out from under him. Shin waved his arms in front of him frantically, letting loose a panicked yelp that pulled the prince up short and caught the attention of everyone in the room.

"No, don't do it that way! You might release Buu!"

_Dammit, there has to be a way... Babidi would hide in a hole like a scared rabbit._

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than a sharp hissing rang through the room, amplified by the acoustics of the chamber. The floor beneath Krillin parted sharply into four triangular doors that dropped away faster than he could react, and he was left floating comically for a split second. His eyes snapped wide and he let out a sharp cry, arms flailing outwards to grab something before gravity finally seemed to kick in, and he dropped away into the chasm below. His cries faded slightly before he hit the bottom with an audible thud and "oof" as the air was knocked out of him.

Gohan almost laughed at the noise, but bit back the chuckle that threatened to rumble from his chest. He stepped to the edge of the hole and looked down to find his godfather sprawled out on his back with a dazed expression and an indignant frown on his face.

"Good job Krillin, I think you found our rabbit hole."

Ignoring the groan that Krillin loosed towards him, Gohan stepped forward and casually floated down into the hole to the floor below. He was closely followed by Shin, Kibito, Goku, and Vegeta. Before Piccolo, 17 and Tien could make it through the portal however, the doors slammed tightly shut.

"Shit!"

Gohan jumped towards the portal and aimed a fist at it, only to find his punch redirected several inches from the dull metal. He regained his balance and glared at the offending obstruction. Swinging another punch at it proved just as fruitless, and only served to wear his temper even thinner. Gohan had half a mind to swing again, without holding anything back, a notion that was evidently noticed by Shin.

"Don't waste your energy! This is Babidi's magic at work, you won't be able to break through it without taking him out."

"That's right Saiyan fool! The only way out of this room is down, and you'll have to get through me to get there!"

The group spun towards the new voice to face a large group of beings that resembled the bug-men they had encountered outside. Gohan's sharp eyes and quick mind tallied up their total number at fifteen, and they seemed to be fronted by a particularly large bug-man with an elongated cranium. All of them were adorned by white spikey armor that loosely resembled the old Saiyan Battle armor, but that was where the similarities to the Saiyans ended. They all had green-brown skin and pupil-less yellow eyes with the exception of the speaker. His face was purple, and he had a white helmet stretched over his cranium made of the same material as his armor.

"Afraid? You should be! I am Pui Pui, the commander of Lord Babidi's forces, and the reason that you will never leave this ship! Don't worry about your little friends up there, they will be dealt with shortly. Lord Babidi thinks that you will-"

"Why do you idiots always have to make a fucking speech before I kick your ass? Seriously…"

Gohan crouched low into a ready stance, and the rest of his party did likewise. The purple bug-man called Pui Pui clenched his fists and puffed himself up to try and look bigger.

"Why you insolent little Saiyan! Fine, that's how you want to play? Destroy them all!"

Fourteen fighters rushed towards the remaining six Z fighters at once, splitting off into pairs. Gohan rushed forward, extending his hands outwards and grabbing two of the fighters by the throat and slamming their heads together with a loud thud before they could react. They crumpled to the floor, unconscious or dead he couldn't tell, and he squared off against the two remaining fighters that were left without an opponent when their comrades rushed off. These two were much more cautious, eyeing Gohan warily, though standing firm even under his harsh glare. The sounds of fights rang through the chamber, rent with the screams and cries from both sides. Gohan could feel several of the ki drop suddenly as fighters fell in rapid succession, and he was glad to feel that none of them were any of the Z fighters.

_These poor saps must have been a diversionary force. Oh well, better put them out of their misery._

Gohan waited patiently while his next two opponents circled him on opposite sides in an attempt to out-flank him. Once they were on either side, directly across from each other, they closed with Gohan rapidly. One attempted to go for his legs while the other began throwing rapid punches at his face. Gohan kicked out at the leg sent to sweep his feet from under him, snapping the armor and bone alike with a resounding crack. The fighter cried out in agony and fell onto his side clutching his tattered leg. Gohan ducked below the other's punch and threw his own fist forward and up in an uppercut that struck him where his jaw would be. The second fighter flew upwards with the force of the punch, hitting the same redirecting spell that Gohan had encountered earlier and sending him bolting towards one of the outer walls at an even faster speed than he had been going from the punch. Gohan didn't even watch him as he impacted the wall with a crunchy thud, instead choosing to silence the screaming soldier at his feet with a sharp kick to the side of the head.

Just as quickly as it had begun, it was over. Gohan could vaguely hear Pui Pui ranting about how "it's not possible" before Vegeta's Ki spiked and he fell silent. Casting his gaze around the room, Gohan was slightly disappointed at how easily even Shin and Krillin were able to deal with their opponents.

"Well… That was a let-down. Let's keep moving, we still need to find Babidi."

As he spoke, another portal opened in the floor to allow them entrance. Gohan looked up, hoping that the one they had come through would open and allow the others through, but to no avail. Making up his mind quickly, Gohan looked towards his godfather, catching his eye and earning a curious look.

"Krillin, see if you can find a way to get that door open? I think Dad, Vegeta, and I can handle whatever is down there. If you get it open, stay outside the ship so that nobody escapes okay?"

Krillin nodded his understanding and crossed his arms as he watched the other fighters drop one by one into the new portal in the floor.

***BABIDI'S CHAMBER***

"My lord, the intruders have destroyed Pui Pui and his forces and are on the second deck of the ship now."

"What?! How is that possible? Pui Pui was the most powerful fighter from his galaxy! I've only been looking into their minds for a few moments!"

"I don't know lord, but they have done it, despite being split into two groups."

A moment passed in silence while Babidi pondered his predicament.

"Where is Dabura?"

The hissing of a door could be heard in the darkness, followed by a set of heavy footfalls and a deep hum that seemed to be issuing from the air itself.

"Here, my lord. I have completed my preparations."

"Good! I want you here just in case. Those monkeys destroyed Pui Pui and his special forces!"

"Indeed? Would you like me to deal with it, or do you have something else in mind?"

"Of course I do! Soldier, send in Yakon! Cut the lights in his chamber, I don't have time to send them anywhere! Make sure he knows his job is to delay the intruders as long as possible."

"Yes my lord. Right away."

The clatter of feet on metal echoed in the dark room several times, followed by the hissing of another door and silence. Dabura's deep voice rang out in the room again, laced with curiosity.

"Have you found something Babidi?"

"Possibly, Dabura. This one is useless to me. _This _one may take some extra work, but I may be able to bend him to my will. The Kai's I can do nothing about, but this one… I think I can use him quite easily."

"What is it lord?"

Babidi's voice cracked into maniacal laughter once more before settling into a menacing grumble.

"The Kai's undoing. He will have to sleep in the bed he made now."

***SECOND CHAMBER OF BABIDI'S SHIP***

Gohan felt his feet touch solid ground, and peered into the darkness surrounding them. The others landed quickly behind him and likewise scanned the darkness for any sign of trouble. It was quiet.

_Something is off in here. The air smells… wrong. Dad and Vegeta must smell it too..._

Sure enough, Goku could be heard sniffing the air much like a dog who just caught a new scent.

"We're not alone in here, I can smell something…"

Goku's quiet murmur echoed in the darkness, and was shortly followed by a growl, nearly inaudible despite the silence that surrounded them. Gohan tensed and peered deeper into the darkness. His sharp ears pinpointed the direction the sound came from and he spun to the side, throwing a hand forward and releasing a low energy blast. The sphere of ki gave off more light than heat, much like the one he used to show the blondes and Videl his abilities. It shot through the room, illuminating a ten foot circle as it flew. What it revealed looked like it came straight from a horror flick.

The best way for him to describe it was as a ten foot tall bipedal crocodile with insect-like appendages. Thick saliva dripped from ivory colored teeth that shone in the dark like neon lights, and piercing yellow eyes glared back at him from under a ridged brow. The sphere of ki hit the wall at the edge of the room and dissipated into nothing. Gohan, Vegeta and Goku all fired a blast at the place where they all saw the creature last, but by the time it reached his location, he was gone.

Gohan blinked rapidly in a futile attempt to remove the spots from his vision, and glared into the darkness, straining his senses to locate the creature again. A gravely, raspy laugh echoed through the room, seemingly coming from everywhere at once. In spite of himself, Gohan felt a pang of fear at not being able to locate the creature that was now taunting him.

"Delicious little morsels you are. So full of light and so lost in the dark. Easy prey."

The laugh echoed through the room again, and Gohan felt the others circle together, facing outwards. Had he been in any other situation at the time, he'd have been upset that he was now back to back with a Kai, but his heart rate and instincts over-rode his emotions. Behind him, he heard Shin speak.

"His name is Yakon, an optivore from an extremely rare race in Babidi's galaxy of origin. They feed on light."

Gohan's jaw dropped, though nobody could see it in the pitch black.

"Light?! You mean that every blast we throw is just fuel to him?"

"That's right tiny Saiyan. Throw more blasts at me. You will only make me stronger."

"Then I'll just have to kill you the old fashioned way!"

The laughter echoed through the room once more. Gohan felt and smelled a hot pungent breath against his cheek and struck out, but only found air. Regaining his balance, he furrowed his brow and strained all of his senses to find his opponent. So stealthy was Yakon that Gohan couldn't even feel his movement in the air, despite his heightened sensitivity. Shin cried out in the darkness, frustration evident in his voice.

"His hide is too thick for you to simply break with your fists and he can absorb ki blades by consuming them!"

_Dammit I wish I still had my sword!_

"You will have to find me first, and I am not so easily caught. You are on my field now, and I make the rules. Come and find me if you dare."

"Don't, if we split up he will pick us off one by one. He's stalling for Babidi."

Gohan glanced behind him to the source of the voice; his father. Surprised by his insightfulness, Gohan strained himself to remember when his father had been so serious as he'd seen today. Even during the fight with Cell, Goku had been very happy-go-lucky. Shaking the unnecessary thoughts from his head, Gohan focused on the problem at hand.

"You have an idea then dad?"

"Yea, I do… Gohan on my go, can you go Super?"

"But dad, he eats light. Won't that-"

"I know son, but trust me I have an idea."

Gohan hesitated, still unsure what his father had planned. In the darkness, a growl that sounded almost purr-like echoed around them.

"Yea, just say when."

"Good, Vegeta when you spot Yakon, throw a blast at him and keep it there okay?"

"What?! Kakarot are you out of your mind?"

"Vegeta, trust me! Just do it, you'll understand."

Vegeta grunted, but posed no more complaints. Curious as to what his father had in mind, Gohan readied himself, ignoring the raspy laughter that continued to echo in the darkness.

"Now!"

In a brilliant flash of golden light, Gohan transformed into the first stage of Super Saiyan. The chamber was suddenly illuminated by a dull glow that cast shadows across the walls in an ominous fashion. More importantly, it cast light upon their query. Yakon stood a mere ten feet in front of Gohan with his teeth bared and a pair of dangerous looking blades jutting from his wrists. The beast's yellow eyes dilated and constricted rapidly with the changing light, the slits of pupils giving him an even more reptilian appearance.

"Fools."

Without hesitation, Vegeta thrust his arm forward, palm out. A bright yellow blast shot from his hand and shot straight for Yakon's head. The beast's maw opened wide, and a vortex of light began to disappear down his gullet. The blast, the light emanating from Gohan's aura, all of it began to disappear into the creature's stomach at an alarming rate, leaving the areas outside of the vortex in an inky blackness.

_Dad had better be right about this, I don't know how long he can do this. Can he get full on light?_

"Kakarot you fool, this isn't going to work!"

Vegeta made to cut the connection between his ki and the blast, but Goku's surprisingly forceful voice halted him before he could sever it.

"No! Just hold it for two more seconds, I've got this!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Gohan saw his father's hand dart up to his forehead. With a distinct audible pop, he disappeared and reappeared directly behind the large reptilian creature. Yakon suddenly realized where the other Saiyan in the room had disappeared to and snapped his jaws shut to turn and face the bigger threat, but too slow. Goku grabbed hold of the blades protruding from his limbs and jerked them down and back with a roar. The blades snapped clean in two with a metallic twang just as Vegeta's blast impacted the beast in the eyes. Yakon roared in pain and threw his now bleeding arms before his face in a futile attempt to halt the blast in its tracks. Goku spared no time letting the beast suffer, and flipped the blades upon their owner, driving them down through the shoulders at the base of the neck and straight into the chest cavity.

Yakon's eyes snapped wide in shock, his face freezing in what Gohan guessed was a surprised expression. His jaw slacked open, and the scorched eyes dilated fully, staring into nothingness for a moment before the limbs below gave out. Yakon toppled forward, crashing to the ground with a thunderous boom that rattled the ship. Purple-Blue blood oozed out of the dual wounds and onto the floor, pooling in a steadily growing puddle. Goku stepped over the corpse just as the lights in the chamber snapped on, flooding the area with bright light that temporarily blinded them. Shin scratched the back of his head and stared incredulously at the body of Yakon.

"Not what I expected, but genius. You Saiyans are more resourceful than I first gave you credit for."

Gohan snorted and rolled his eyes. He was about to make a snappy retort when Vegeta roared in agony, clutching the side of his head. His eyes bulged out and he hunched over. Taken aback by the sudden outburst, the others could only watch in shock as the prince writhed in sudden pain. Goku recovered the quickest and rushed to the prince's side.

"Vegeta! What's wrong? Shin! What happened?"

Vegeta unintentionally burst into super-saiyan, his screams of agony filling the room with an eerie hollow sound. Goku was tossed back by the force of his aura, while Shin, Kibito, and Gohan all covered their faces to block the force of the wind coming from him. Shin yelled at the top of his lungs to make his voice heard over the roar of the wind.

"It's Babidi! He's trying to exert control over Vegeta's mind!"

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

Gohan felt a cold chill run down his spine at the revelation.

_Not Vegeta! He's changed! He has too much to lose on this planet to fall so easily to some simple mind games._

"Fight it Vegeta, you can fight hi-"

_**Hello little Saiyan.**_

Gohan's blood iced over, and his heart plummeted. A cold jolt shot through his mind, numbing the connection with the rest of his body. He couldn't see, he couldn't feel, nothing made sense. There was only that voice.

_No!_

_**Yes. Welcome to the service of Babidi! You belong to ME!**_

**A/N: SO THERE YOU GO. I'VE ALREADY GOT THE FIRST PART OF THE NEXT CHAPTER DONE! IT'S ANYBODY'S GUESS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO GOHAN. HOW ABOUT THE NONCOMS? YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE, AND I PROMISE YOU, IT WONT BE TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE NEXT UPDATE.**


	28. Murphy's Law

**Hey all! So remember how I mentioned that the last chapter got finished because I got stuck on a 24 hour shift at work with nothing else to do? Wouldn't you know it, I had another one of those the other day. Normally we only get those once a month, but hey, there's a silver lining and that's what this chapter is. Now with that in mind, those of you who know the meaning of Murphy's law will likely see that statement as somewhat contradictory. Don't worry, you'll find out soon =). Forgive me if there are grammatical errors, I was sitting on post for 20 hours for a large portion of writing this and upon reviewing it the next day I was amazed at everything I found that was written poorly. It has been fixed for the most-part, but I'm sure there's still some errors here and there.**

**Chapter 28: Murphy's Law**

Black. Inky black nothingness. It pressed in from all around, suffocating her. She could feel the air flowing in and out of her lungs, but it felt empty. Unsatisfying.

_Cant get enough air in my lungs… Lungs... Lungs means I have a body. Do I have a body? Why can't I feel it?_

Her consciousness flashed white, a light that would have blinded her had she eyes to see it with. Suddenly, she felt it. The rest of her body was suddenly there like a weight dropped on her. It ached and pulsed with the pounding of her heart that suddenly seemed to wanted to burst from her chest. Even the skin that was being caressed by something soft and feathery seemed to burn and itch.

_Ugh, what's going on?! What happened? Okay… little steps… My name is… is… Kami what is my name?!_

What seemed like an eternity stretched by and the answer eluded her still. Random images that didn't fit in any particular order flashed in her mind's eye; A tall teen with spiky black hair in a black button-up shirt. Two blonde teenagers trying to avoid attention as they relaxed in eachother's company. A young girl with wild black hair to match her onyx eyes. A huge pale monster with a calligraphic M etched into his forehead. Another flash of light. A girl, glaring into a mirror at her own image, a small frown etched into her features as her Azure eyes scanned her naked form for scars.

_There! Her!... Me… I'm… I'm… Satan… Videl Satan! That's it. My name is Videl Satan…_

With the flood-gates opened, she suddenly began recollecting everything. A flood of emotion, memories, and even more strange sensations that surrounded her newly discovered body crashed down on her mind.

_My name is Videl, I'm eighteen years old. My best friends are Sharpener and Erasa. My father is the world champion. The man who defeated Cell._

Her heart jumped in her chest, and her mind immediately rejected that statement. More sensations pierced her mind like a bullet. More Images flashed in her eyes; A brunette girl with stunning green eyes. The tall teen again, cast in a new light now. Wearing a navy blue gi and smiling a weak smile. His hair flowing carelessly in the wind as he watched her.

_Lime. Gohan… The delivery boy._

A whole new feeling flooded her mind, and welled up in her chest. Memories of their time, how close they had become. Their first kiss, all the ones after it. How she had become attached. Fallen in love. She wanted to hold onto that image of him. But then it all came crashing down.

_The tournament! The fight! I was fighting Spopovich and… Oh Kami I'm dead! I am dead right? I have to be! This… This is what death is… Emptiness_

_**Not quite.**_

Videl felt the presence more than she heard it. It wasn't malicious, nor did it even seem remotely dangerous. In fact it was… familiar.

_Who… Who are you?_

_**I? Well It isn't important who I am miss Videl.**_

The voice paused there, and Videl continued to see images, her own memories, as they played before her mind's eye.

_I didn't die then?… What is this? Where am I?_

_**This is… Well this is the deepest part of your mind. But don't be confused, you were indeed dead. **_

_Were?_

_**Were. You have some powerful friends Videl. Your spirit nearly left your body completely. Were it not for the actions of the Supreme Kai and his assistant, you would have been lost, as would the universe as you know it.**_

_Supreme Kai? Who is… Shin? And Kibito?_

_**Indeed.**_

_Okay, so that sounds important… But what do I have to do with the fate of the universe? I'm just a normal human girl!_

_**Even the most mundane of people can have a moment of brilliance, and you are anything but mundane. He does not know it yet, but Gohan is going to find himself in a difficult situation. You will all be put through trials in the near future, but he must face, and defeat, one enemy that he has been struggling with for a very long time.**_

_Who?_

_**Himself. He will cease to be Gohan as you know him, and his primal self will take over. When this happens, the fate of the universe will hang in the balance. Should he succumb to his natural tendencies, all will fall. You are the key.**_

_Me? I don't understand._

_**The only thing that a Saiyan will stop everything for, is his mate. To him, nothing could be more important than the one who bears the mark. **_**His **_**mark.**_

_The mark? What?... Please, explain!_

The connection with the consciousness began to fade, becoming weaker and weaker by the second.

"Videl?"

_**There is no time left. I must soon go. Do not forget my words Videl. Whatever you do, do not lose hope! Bleak times are upon you, but you must never give up! You can tame the beast, and unlock the true power of the Saiyan race. **_

"Videl?"

_Please! There must be more you can tell me! At least tell me who you are?_

_**Never… Give… Up.**_

"Videl?"

New sensations began to make sense to her. She realized she was laying on her back. Her skin still burned, and her chest ached where she had been struck by the ki blast. She could tell that she must be on a flying craft of some sort by the sensation of flight she was so familiar with. The air smelled of sweat, dust, and surprisingly enough, new car smell. A very familiar voice gently called her name, and a warm weight pressed against her hand. She felt her eyes slide open a tiny bit and immediately slammed them shut with a grimace.

"Hnngh."

"She's waking up! Videl, can you hear me?'

_Erasa?_

Prepared this time, Videl forced her eyes open. A moment passed before they were finally able to focus, but when they did she saw Erasa's worried and lined face staring back at her. There was a rush of joy at the sight of her best friend, and her lips cracked into a weak smile.

"Hey… Erasa…"

Her voice came out raspy and strained, and immediately she felt the urge to hack up a lung. But her chest ached in protest to the weak cough that her words elicited. Erasa gripped her hand and beamed at her.

"Shh, don't talk girl. You had us all scared there for a while. I swear I thought Sharpie was going to break down into tears!"

"I was not!"

Videl couldn't help herself, she laughed at his childish denial. She winced in anticipation of the ache that would fill her chest at the spasm, but it didn't come. She looked down at herself as best she could and was surprised to find that she was wearing completely different clothes; A blue long sleeve shirt with "fight" across the chest in gold letters, a pair of yellow jeans and her spare set of running shoes. She blinked a couple times in surprise and made to push herself up into a sitting position.

"Whoa girl, take it easy-"

"It's okay Erasa. I'm fine."

Erasa didn't retort or contradict her, instead choosing to assist her to sit up and swing her feet off the edge of the cot. Things started to fall into focus better and she realized that the room she was in was actually the interior of Bulma's airship. The pilot and copilot seats were taken up by Bulma and Yamcha, while the rest of the compartment was mostly empty. Lime and the kids were nowhere to be seen, and Launch sat in a chair to the back of the craft next to a closed hatch with Puar, Oolong and Chiaotzu. Sharpener sat in a chair close by Videl's cot next to her father, who she noted was asleep with a faint complexion.

"It's good to see you up Videl, all kidding aside, I was really worried about you. We didn't know if you were gonna make it."

The voice from before echoed in her mind again, reminding her of her temporary demise. She nodded her acknowledgement, as if to tell herself that it was all true.

"Thanks Sharpie… Where are we?"

Bulma looked around her chair to take in the trio with a wide smile, pulling one of the headphones off of her ear.

"We're on our way to the lookout Videl. It's where Gohan and Goku took you after the fight."

She cocked an eyebrow at that, oblivious to the events that had happened after she had fallen unconscious. Bulma seemed to realize the source of her confusion and muttered something to Yamcha, who simply nodded and eased back into his chair. Bulma unbuckled herself and removed her headset entirely, stepping around the chair and into the back of the airship.

"I'm sure you've got a lot of questions, I'll try to fill you in as best I can alright?"

Videl nodded, once again running her conversation with the mystery person through her mind. She wondered if it was all just a trick of her mind in her unconscious state, but she had felt the presence, just as she could feel Erasa's contact with her. She was so lost that she had no clue where to begin. She glanced towards her father, and decided that she should begin there.

"What happened to him? Did he try to fight Spopovich?"

Bulma crossed her arms and glared at the sleeping fighter.

"No, he never got the chance to. He donated a generous amount of blood to speed up your recovery, which is why he's asleep. He's fine, just running a little dry."

_Thanks Dad… For what it's worth._

"Okay… So what happened after… After Spopovich…"

She tried to force the words, but found her mouth rebelling against her mind. A shudder raced

down her spine at the memory.

_**A flash of light. Screaming until blackness swallowed her. Calling. Praying for Gohan to save **_

_**her.**_

Bulma uncrossed her arms and took a seat across from her, looking into her eyes intently.

"Gohan went completely nuts, killed Spopovich right then and there after Vegeta caught you. He would have been there sooner, but he was going through a rather tough spot at the time what with growing his tail back and all."

"Wait, his what?!"

"His tail… It's a Saiyan thing, you'll see later."

She blinked in shock a few times, still unsure if she had heard properly. But she didn't have time to ask any more questions, as the blue haired genius continued with her speech.

"Anyways, the others were at a loss for what to do too. According to Vegeta, Gohan was completely unresponsive for a couple minutes there until Spopovich threw that blast…"

_So… He did hear me?..._

She took a small comfort in the knowledge, but couldn't help the pit that formed in her stomach. No matter what he did after, she couldn't help but feel hurt that he hadn't helped her sooner. Sharpener spoke up, though his eyes were distant.

"You should have seen him. I thought we had seen him angry before, but never in my life have I been so scared of a single person. He was literally on fire, and the way he did it…"

He visibly shuddered, and Videl felt a pang of pity for the blonde. She still remembered the first time she had seen him go Super, and from the sound of it this was far worse. Erasa, ever with her head in the clouds, let her bubbly voice ring forth with hearts in her eyes.

"Yea, but it was scary in a romantic sort of way! It felt like watching a romantic tragedy movie you know? The hero's love dies at the hands of the bad guy and he goes into a blood rage to avenge her!"

The others in the room eyed her incredulously, forcing a blush from her and a weak giggle.

"Or not… Heh heh."

Videl shook her head and returned her attention to Bulma.

"So what happened after that? I must have been in rough shape…"

_No shit sherlock, you died._

'Oh buzz off! I don't need this right now.'

Bulma nodded her head grimly, and began the task of filling Videl in on the events of the tournament. She had a hard time believing that she had traveled all the way across the world in a fraction of a second and had been healed by the Kami of Earth, whoever he was. Then the time in the hospital with the blood transfusion, and the conversation with Shin. Bulma gave her the short version of the story, and Videl felt her stomach sink lower and lower as she learned more about Babidi and Buu. The more she ran it over in her head, the more dread filled her.

_I should be there with them! With him! I just know there's something that's going to go wrong. Last time they faced an enemy this powerful, he lost his father! Who will it be this time?..._

Determined to do something, she steeled her nerves and took a deep breath before pushing herself up onto her feet. Bulma rushed forward and attempted to sit her back down, but Videl grasped her wrists and stood up to her full height; still coming a couple inches below the older woman's own full stature. She took another deep breath to steady herself and looked into Bulma's face hard.

"Bulma, where are they?"

***ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD***

"We're close guys, time to get out and look."

Lime pressed the dial on the radar, zooming in on the little yellow dot on the screen marked with a numeral seven. The door to the jet copter opened and all three of the children took flight, scanning the sparse forest below for the telltale flash of light reflecting off of their query. She pushed the stick forward and began her descent.

_It's good that Bulma had most of these collected already. If we had to search for all seven of these then we would be in a bit of trouble._

In the seat next to her, Android 18 cradled the sleeping form of Marron in her lap, blankly gazing at the other five dragon balls that rested between her feet on the floor of the chopper.

"I hate searching for these things…"

Lime cocked an eyebrow at her, searching in her mind for any time that the Android had gone looking for the dragon balls before. From behind them, Chi Chi made her presence known.

"You havn't been dragon ball hunting before 18…"

"So?"

"SO… how can you hate it if you havn't done it before?"

"We're doing it now aren't we? This is boring…"

Lime rolled her eyes and smirked at the blonde woman.

"Wishing you had gone with the others after Babidi right?"

"I stand by my decision-"

"That's not what I asked."

18 finally tore her eyes from the dragon balls, glaring at the brunette next to her.

"Fine… Yes… I'd rather be there and Krillin here… I worry about him."

An uncomfortable silence settled over the three women as they descended towards the earth in the jet copter. Lime couldn't but share her sentiments, even if she was less than useless in a fight against people of their caliber. She still wanted to protect Gohan, and that meant not having him near the worst of the fighting. She knew she'd never be able to convince him to do other-wise, and that one day he could pay the price for it. All she could do is hope.

"We're here, let's get out and look with the kids huh? I just hope we don't need them."

The other two women silently consented to the statement and disembarked from the craft as Lime touched it down. She could see the three children rummaging around in the woods in the distance, and peered at the scope in her hand. The flashing light appeared to be twenty meters ahead of them, right where the kids were. Forcing aside her anxiety yet again, Lime pushed through the knee-high grass and began searching for the little orange ball.

***BABIDI'S SHIP***

_No! I will not bend to you!_

Gohan slammed his eyes shut as a wave of pain blocked out all but the voice echoing in his mind. It was high pitched, almost whiney. The voice of Babidi carried a slick and oily quality that made shivers crawl down his spine and his stomach churn. He felt his hands clench of their own accord as he fought the clouds pushing in around his consciousness.

_**I thought you might say something like that young one. Don't you worry I have ways. You will be MINE! Your hatred will be your undoing!**_

With that exclamation a white hot blade thrust into his mind, paralyzing him and forcing his eyes wide open in shock. His breath caught in his throat and he failed to comprehend what he was witnessing before him. Goku was frantically trying to get through to Vegeta, but nothing he said made sense to the Demi. Steeling his will against the force attacking his mind, he pushed back against the blade. Years of pain tolerance training kicked in and he welcomed the pain with open arms, pulling it closer and using it to fuel his resolve. With a burst of sheer willpower he thrust the attack back, and experienced a moment of relief from Babidi's onslaught. He realized suddenly that he was on all fours, panting heavily. The screams of Vegeta rang in his skull along with the panicked yells of his father for a moment before the presence returned in full force, blocking everything out yet again.

_**My you are a strong one aren't you? I've never had to fight so hard to get into someone's mind. You will make a powerful slave!**_

_No! I. AM. IN. CONTROL. OF. ME!_

With every ounce of willpower he had, Gohan began to force the clouds back. He remembered his father, how he sacrificed everything for the world to survive. How because of his mistake, he was no longer around. He thought of Lime, his siblings, and his friends. He thought of Videl, the woman he loved, and he found his strength.

_I will not let them down again! You're finished! GET OUT OF MY MIND!_

He unleashed a mental blast of power that forced Babidi back out of his mind at an alarmingly fast rate. The wizard fought back as hard as he could, but the limited amount of black that tainted his heart was not enough for him to hold onto. He began to slip.

_**Aah wait! No, you cannot be capable of this! The Kai, Shin, he's the Supreme Kai! I saw into your Namekian friend's mind, he kept your father in Other world wrongfully! I know the power of the dragons, you could have revived him! He is the common enemy!**_

A moment of hesitation stalled Gohan in his push for freedom as he heard the words echo in his head. For half a second, he considered accepting his words as true. He was interrupted however by something slamming into his left side. He felt something in his shoulder pop loose with the force of the impact and a shooting pain bolted out from the joint to his spine and his fingers. The pain jolted him out of his mental state and back into focus.

_You would destroy my home, and everyone I care about! I WILL NEVER WORK FOR YOU!_

With a final roar and push, he completely removed the presence from his mind and used Piccolo's mental training to block it off before Babidi could attempt it again. His hearing returned suddenly, but the room was silent. He couldn't sense Goku or Vegeta in the vicinity at all, and one of the Kai's ki had disappeared completely. He cracked his eyes to find Shin looking about the room with a panicked expression on his face. His eyes locked with the Demi's and he visibly relaxed.

"Good, I was worried he would turn you like-"

"You… The Supreme Kai… You lied… My father…"

Gohan struggled with his words, trying to keep his vision clear of the red that was threatening to close in from all sides. Shin paled noticeably and staggered back a step, tripping on the carcass of Yakon. Gohan pushed himself to his feet, letting them carry him forward, seemingly of their own will. He felt himself slide into Super-Saiyan without trying to, but he didn't care. Babidi's words echoed in his head, something which the Kai seemed to notice.

"Gohan, listen to me! You nee-"

"You! Seven years of my life! SEVEN fucking years! He could have been there were it not for your lie!"

"You've got to listen to me Gohan! I did what wa-ACK!"

Gohan cut him off mid-sentence by gripping the Kai around the throat. He stepped right by him and picked him up, jumping the last ten feet to the wall and slamming Shin into it with a thundering crash. He felt his knuckles get sliced open on the metal material of the wall as the Kai was imprinted into it. He felt his shoulder throb in pain at the action. But none of it registered in his livid mind. Shin regained enough of his wits to try and defend himself, but the punch he threw merely crashed against the rock that was Gohan's head. The Kai's purple blood leaked out around his head where it had impacted the wall, and Gohan's instincts begged for more of it.

"Go- an… Do-… kill… me! Ple- ase?!"

Gohan felt his body urge him to spill the blood of the Kai, and he prepared the blast that would do it in his right hand. The ki crackled and sparked, and he held it mere inches from the Kai's face, illuminating it with a creepy dull light. But something told him to stay his hand. He wrestled with the feeling, with his conscience, and with his urges. He left the ki ball there, but loosened his grip on the Kai's throat just enough for air to seep into and out of his lungs.

"You get one chance. ONE Fucking chance! Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you! Why should I not get my revenge? You stole seven years of my father's life. Of my families lives. Of MY life! I can never get it back because of you! So you better make it a GOOD fucking reason!"

"Ack! Be-… Because… I can ack-!"

He continued to fume while the Kai struggled to breathe, clawing at his hand in a futile attempt of freeing up his airway. Gohan loosened his grip again, just enough that the Kai took a sharp and strained breath.

"I can-… give Goku life!"

Gohan felt the chills that came with the revelation. He felt the anger that it sparked. Here was the Kai, offering him the one thing that he had always wished his father could have. The one thing that would truly have ended his pain and his suffering over the mistake he made. Just like that, it was being offered to him in exchange for the Kai's life. He continued to glare at the Kai, searching for any hint of deceit. It seemed too good to be true, and if the Kai had lied once, what was to prevent him from doing it again?

"Why should I trust you?! YOU LIED TO US ALL! WORSE, YOU DIDN'T EVEN DO IT YOURSELF! YOU GOT A PUPPET TO DO IT FOR YOU!"

He unconsciously squeezed down on the kai's throat, and a faint cracking could be heard as his trachea began to collapse under the pressure. The Kai struggled against his hold once more until Gohan noticed what he was doing and loosed his grip. The Kai panted raggedly and struggled to force his words out, all the while clawing at the demi's iron grip.

"You… Will have… To! If… I'm wrong… Then you… can finish what… you started… here!"

Gohan narrowed his eyes at the purple man, processing his words. Minutes seemed to crawl by as he glared at the Kai. His own inner war was swaying to and fro until he finally gave in. He jerked his hand away from the Kai's throat and turned his back on the man as he dropped to the floor, coughing and sputtering. Blood oozed down the wall from multiple punctures the now warped metal made in his skin. Gohan slammed his eyes shut and clenched his fists, struggling to bury his anger until later.

_He had better fucking deliver…_

The Kai struggled to his feet, rubbing his bruised neck and coughing constantly. He eyed the demi warily and worked his jaw to try and loosen the muscles.

"Thank you-"

Gohan spun on the spot and delivered a hook straight across the face of the supreme kai, spinning him in place and dropping him to the ground in a heap. Shin slowly recovered, pushing himself up shakily and massaging his bruised cheekbone.

"Hear me now, and don't fucking forget it. I can never forgive you for what you did. You are alive right now because I fully expect you to deliver on your promise. If you don't, I WILL kill you. When this is all over, you will answer for your crimes against my family."

Shin recovered and stood up to his full height, dropping his hands to his sides and looking Gohan straight in the eye.

"You have my word. I will accept judgment when the time comes, as was my intent the whole time."

Gohan nodded his acknowledgement and sighed heavily as he dropped out of Super. His aura diminished, as well as the flow of power that accompanied it. He scanned the room, suddenly aware of how alone they were.

"Where are the others? What happened to Vegeta?! Did he…?"

He looked to the Kai for answers, and received a hopeless look of loss in return.

"He succumbed to Babidi. He attacked Goku outright. Kibito tried to stop him, but in the struggle Babidi teleported them elsewhere. Your guess is as good as mine as to where they are now."

_Vegeta… No… How could you let him win like that?_

"Vegeta didn't completely fall under Babidi's control. He was ordered to attack me and refused. He is still fighting Babidi's control in a way."

Gohan furrowed his brow and rubbed his shoulder that was starting to ache worse now.

"How could he be rebelling? You said Babidi's control was absolute. It's like he… was… Wait a second, he allowed Babidi to win! Why?!"

Shin blinked a few times, his eyes darting back and forth while he considered the question.

"When Spopovich and Yamu became majin's, they gained power that neither of them possessed before. I only imagine Vegeta realized this and let it happen to gain a power boost…"

Gohan pinched the bridge of his nose as things started to click into place.

_Dammit Vegeta! You and your fucking pride! Why couldn't you just let it be?! Is it really so important that you pass up my father and I that you would willingly throw away all our lives?_

"Is there anything we can do to free him?"

Shin remained silent, and after a few seconds, Gohan looked to him and felt his heart plummet. Shin shook his head hopelessly.

"Not unless he is killed."

_Great… Just fucking great… What am I supposed to do now?_

"Gohan, we can't focus on that right now. Vegeta and Goku are fighting it out right now, and I can't get us out of here."

Gohan sighed heavily and conceded that point to him. He inwardly berated himself for not learning the instant transmission technique from his father. He looked towards the hole in the ground that was still open and continued to massage his shoulder, which was burning constantly now.

"You're shoulder… Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, let's just keep moving. We have to get rid of that pest."

Without looking back or waiting for the supreme Kai, he stepped forward and dropped into the hole and the darkness within.

***TOURNAMENT ARENA***

The random people left in the stands hoping for the tournament to resume milled about aimlessly. They'd all seen the explosion from the other end of the compound, and after Bardock had so violently dispatched Spopovich in the ring, most people had fled the arena in a panic. Out of the massive crowd that was there before, only a skeleton remained. The tournament announcer stood off to the side of the ring with a team of police officers in full combat load. Officers were everywhere in the compound now, preserving the peace wherever they could while searching for the mysterious group of fighters that were no longer present in the ring. Hordes of emergency personnel tended to any who had received injuries and searched through the compound to find missing family members. It was a scene of chaos.

A violent crack shattered the air and a plume of smoke rose from the center of the compound where the ring was situated. In the middle of it suddenly appeared Vegeta, Goku and Kibito. The pink giant was struggling to ward off Vegeta from attacking Goku, who was standing away from his fellow Saiyan with a grim expression and a guarded stance.

"Vegeta, calm yourself and think-"

"ENOUGH YOU GIANT PINK WORM!"

Vegeta exploded into the second stage of Super Saiyan and pushed the giant off of him, while simultaneously forming a ki blast between his hands. Goku realized what he was doing and lunged forward, but too late. From the air, a small fleet of news helicopters turned their cameras to the commotion below.

***BULMA'S AIRSHIP***

Videl growled and planted her face in her hands. Her frustration was palpable, and everyone knew it. She could feel something was going wrong, though she wasn't sure if it was her mind playing tricks on her or not. More-so, nobody knew where any of the z-fighters had gone. She knew that Lime, Chi Chi, 18, and the kids had all gone dragon ball hunting, and that they had successfully tracked down the last one near the base of Korrin Tower, wherever that was. She felt so helpless in her current position. Despite all the others' assurances to the contrary, she felt responsible for the current predicament they were all in. Bulma sat next to her and patted her back sympathetically until Yamcha gasped sharply from the front of the ship. The others in the room turned to look at him expectantly.

"Shit… Shit shit shit… no!"

Bulma paused in her soothing and glared hard at the back of his head.

"What?! What is it you goof? Did you break my jet?!"

Yamcha turned in his chair and pulled a headphone off one ear with a grim scowl on his face.

"No Bulma. Something just came over the air that you need to see, and I don't think you're going to like it. Things just went from bad to worse."

All present glared at him expectantly, and Videl's stomach did a flip at the tone of his voice. Bulma stood up and turned her attention to the screen across the cabin from her mounted above the seats.

"Computer, display news feed on screen."

"**Yes ma'am."**

The others looked to the screen as it flashed on, going completely white at first before snapping into focus suddenly. When they finally saw what it was showing, there was a collective gasp. It was an aerial view of the arena they had been at no more than half an hour before, and there in the center of the ring was Vegeta and Goku, both in super saiyan form. A huge strip of land extending from the ring out to the horizon was stripped all the way down to the earth, leaving no trace of the buildings, vegetation, or any people that may have been there before. The voice of a news anchor was shouting panicked into a microphone.

"_-and gentlemen I don't know best how to describe what I just witnessed! One of the men in the ring, the short one in blue, just emitted what appeared to be a bright light from his hands that carved away a huge chunk of the city straight into down-town! Reports are already coming in that no less than ten structures have been destroyed without a trace, and-"_

"No! It couldn't have been Vegeta!"

Videl rushed forward as fast as her still-wobbly legs would carry her to catch Bulma as her knees gave out. The blue haired genius collapsed to the ground, only being caught by both Videl and Erasa as her lower half made contact with the floor.

_"The two men appear to be arguing about something and- wait something is happening! Yes folks it looks like the short man is actually _floating_ in mid-air!"_

Sure enough, as the camera zoomed in, a swirl of smoke and dust erupted around Vegeta's glowing form and he floated up into the air until he was nearly level with the jet-copters filming him. Goku followed him quickly, and appeared to be arguing with Vegeta again.

"_Now the blue guy is… wait what is he doing? Umm…"_

Vegeta extended a hand towards Goku and unleashed an enormous blast from his hand that darted through the air and impacted him. Goku struggled against the blast for a moment before relenting his hold on it, sending it past himself to crash into the down-town district behind him. The blast erupted in a blinding white flash and a mushroom cloud that rapidly rose into the air, tossing the copters about in the winds that resulted. The image spun rapidly for a moment before steadying out once more and refocusing on the impact sight.

"_Oh my Kami… Folks I can't believe it, the entire downtown district! It's gone! All that remains there is a mushroom cloud and a smoking crater!"_

Bulma's faint whimper was all she could struggle out before she fainted outright. Videl and Erasa struggled for a moment getting her to the recently vacated cot until Sharpener came to assist them. None of them spoke, each lost in thought about what they had just witnessed. Videl's mind was racing, trying to piece together everything she knew about the prince. No matter how many ways she looked at it, his actions didn't make sense.

"Computer, turn off."

"**Yes Ma'am**"

"Why would he do that?! All those people… Just like that…"

Erasa's question rang similarly to her own thoughts, and she felt the urge to cry. But she pushed it down and focused on controlling her breathing.

"I don't know Erasa. I thought he had changed."

From the front of the ship, Yamcha interjected into the conversation.

"He did change. That… That wasn't Vegeta, at least not the Vegeta we know. There's something wrong with him. I hate to think it, but I think that Babidi guy did his mind-control thing on him. That's the only possibility that makes sense."

A heavy silence settled over them as they all considered that possibility and what it would mean. Videl didn't know very much about this Babidi character except what Bulma had told her, but things were steadily starting to get worse and worse.

"We're about to land guys, go ahead and strap in. We can sort all of this out once the others get there with the dragon balls."

Still lost in thought about everything she had just learned, Videl took a seat next to Erasa and Bulma and prepared for their arrival on the lookout.

***BABIDI'S SPACE SHIP***

Gohan landed lightly on the hard floor of the ship and scanned the surprisingly large and, well illuminated room. It was much vaster than the previous two, appearing to be a cargo bay of some sort. He felt the Supreme Kai descend and land behind him without a sound. He scanned the surrounding area, and was surprised by the figure that stood before them on top of a box in the middle of the room like a statue. Shin gasped at his side, and Gohan got another bizarre ki reading from this newcomer that was similar to the Kai's. He inspected the man, ignoring the ache that continued to pierce his shoulder.

_Man, what the hell happened? I havn't hurt this bad in years…_

The figure before him smirked, revealing that he was indeed a living thing and not a stone figure, and Gohan took in his appearance fully. The man was quite large, slightly larger than Gohan himself, with bright red skin and piercing yellow serpentine eyes. He was adorned in a blue and white robe with a long spiky white collared cape. His pointed teeth poked out of his mouth beneath his black moustache and a pair of horns jutted out of his forehead.

"You know this guy Kai?"

"Yes, his name is Dabura. He is the lord of the demons, the king of Hell, and the most powerful demon that's existed in the last hundred-thousand years."

At the mention of his name, Dabura grinned a feral grin, and Gohan noticed the calligraphic M tattooed on his forehead.

"And he's a Majin."

"Oh, your powers of perception belay your hidden intelligence. I always thought Saiyans were barely more than monkeys. That was the impression I got when the entire race landed on my doorstep nearly forty years ago now."

The deep voice seemed to come from the air itself rather than from the demon before them. Gohan also noticed a deep hum that was barely audible and seemed to originate with the red being as well.

"What can I say? I have an excuse… I'm a hybrid, not full blooded Saiyan."

Dabura cocked his head to the side with a confused expression, running his eyes over the demi before him.

"Truly? Isn't that fascinating? I dare-say you might even be worth adding to my collection."

Gohan furrowed his brow and glanced to the direction the demon was indicating, and felt his blood run cold. There, standing in a perfect row, were life-size statues of Tien, Piccolo, 17, and Krillin. He stared hard at the statues, which seemed to stare back at him with unseeing eyes and gaping mouths pulled open in expressions of shock. Shin shifted behind him slightly, catching his attention.

"That's Dabura's demonic ability; he can petrify his opponents by spitting on them."

"I found these four roaming about outside the ship. Not very polite of them, don't you think?"

The venom in his words made Gohan's skin crawl even more than the voice that carried it. He returned his attention to the demon, refusing to take his eyes off of him. He directed his next words over his shoulder, just barely loud enough for the Supreme Kai to hear him.

"Is this reversible? Are they still alive?"

"Yes. But Dabura must die."

"I think I can arrange for tha-"

"_PTOO!"_

Gohan was barely able to move before the glob of saliva shot straight past his head. He turned just in time to see it impact the Supreme Kai full on in the chest. Shin gaped at the spot before turning his eyes to Gohan. Gohan could only watch with an odd mixture of fascination and horror as the Supreme Kai's clothing and body began to solidify. Granite seemed to pour out from the center of his chest and flow over his body. The Kai's jaw worked furiously but his lungs and heart had already been petrified, cutting off any circulation of blood or air. Inside the Kai's gaping maw, Gohan saw granite seemingly pour out of his throat and consume him until even the hairs on top of his head were solidified into stone. Once the transformation ceased, Gohan returned his attention to the demon with a scowl.

"Aww, pity. I was hoping I could get you while you were distracted young Saiyan, but a Kai will do for now I think. My collection can wait a few minutes more."

Without any words of his own, Gohan transformed straight into the second transformation, and lightning crackled all around him, zapping any metal objects near him with raw power.

"So this is the Legendary Super Saiyan that all those monkeys referred to? My, but it is quite flashy isn't it? The lightning is a nice touch."

"No, actually, the Legend you are referring to died three years ago. I killed him. I am beyond the Legendary Super Saiyan, and you decided to go and fuck with me. You should have asked those I've defeated and sent straight to you about me, _Lord. _If you had, you would be running for your life right now."

A deep rumble emanated from the demon that slowly transformed into a booming laugh. He grinned at the Demi evilly and slowly undid the clasp on his cape, allowing it to fall off his shoulders with a soft slithering sound.

"You think you can scare me with that little speech? Fool, you don't know who you are taunting. I am the king of the demons! I fear no mortal, much less a snot nosed brat like you."

Gohan settled back into a defensive stance and clenched his fists, ignoring the burn in his shoulder yet again. A hazy red aura floated up around Dabura mere moments before he shot forward with a roar that shook the very foundation of the ship around them. Gohan focused and positioned himself to counter the charge, and jumped at the last second to avoid the demon. Dabura quickly reacted, turning in mid-air and bolting after him with a spinning kick that connected with Gohan's head. The force of the blow spun his head around, twisting his entire body with him until he managed to gain control of his momentum and square off against the demon.

_He's faster than I thought. Better not make that mistake again._

"Is that it Super Saiyan? I'm disappointed."

Gohan growled deep in his chest and prepared himself to counter-attack.

"Try this one on for size then."

He rushed forward and started a furious attack. The first couple strikes connected with the demon's head and chest before Dabura seemed to catch up and start blocking. He met each of the demi's attacks with a block or dodge until he started giving them back. Gohan caught the change in tactics and shifted accordingly, going blow for blow with the demon. For a few seconds, they were perfectly matched to one another, until Dabura sent a super-powered round-house kick directed for his head. Gohan brought his left arm up to block, and did so successfully. But as soon as the limbs connected, a searing pain shot into his shoulder the likes of which he had not felt since just after the fight with Cell. He roared in agony as he lost feeling in the tips of his fingers. Kicking off sharply from Dabura with a double kick to the chest, Gohan gathered himself together, clutching his injured shoulder with his good hand and glaring hard at his opponent.

Dabura grinned at him with a malicious look in his eye, observing the demi's movements carefully.

"Ahh yes, the injury from Cell isn't it? I vaguely remember something about that when he first arrived in hell, funny that it still affects you all these years later."

Gohan glowered, knowing full well that if he had re-damaged his shoulder, he would stand no chance in his current state against Dabura.

_Shit! Okay Gohan think, what are your options here?_

He saw past Dabura to the four statues of his friends still sitting in their respective places.

_No. There is no choice. You gave them the order to stay outside, it's your fault they are in this mess. It's your responsibility to get them out. I wanted to save this for later, but I suppose now is as good a time as any..._

Gohan locked eyes with the demon lord and mentally tapped into the vast store of ki that he had discovered when fighting Broly. A bolt of energy shot through him and began the change. Energy flowed through him at a rate his muscles couldn't facilitate, so they expanded. His hair began to extend down his back and his brow began to jut out. His eyebrows disappeared, his tail unraveled from his waist and sparked bright gold, and with a pained roar, the transformation completed. Dabura stood there in shock, staring at the newly transformed demi before him with something akin to awe in his eyes.

"This is… different. What did you just do?"

Gohan breathed heavy, letting the sensation of absolute power wash over him before narrowing his eyes at the demon and growling out in a deeper than normal voice.

"This? I just signed your death warrant, Demon."

The statement hung in the air for a second and time stood still. Gohan darted forward faster than Dabura could react and swung his good arm around to impact the demon in the skull with a resounding crack. Gohan pressed his advantage while Dabura attempted to recover and meet the onslaught head-on. He managed to block an occasional strike, but even with one arm out of commission, Gohan far outmatched him. Dabura began to get desperate, dodging away in an attempt to flee from the enraged super saiyan, only to be met with yet another strike repeatedly. Finally he got fed up with getting beat repeatedly and did the only thing he had left.

"PTOO!"

Gohan was too close to dodge the missile, and raised his good hand to block it from hitting his face. He felt the burning liquid sear into his skin, and the effect was immediate. Granite began to crawl around the sides of his hand, and the fingers began to stiffen of their own accord. He gripped his wrist in a vain attempt to halt the petrification, but knew that there was no way for him to stop it. Panic began to creep into his mind, and he gaped at Dabura. The Demon grinned evilly and wiped a drip of blood that ran down side of his face from the top of his head.

"Now, you are finished little Super Saiyan. You will make a fine addition to my collection."

Gohan growled and watched helplessly as the rock completely took his hand, increasing the weight considerably. It was at his wrist now, and to Gohan it felt like his hand now weighed more than twenty times it's normal weight.

"GGRRRRAAAAAAAH! FUCK YOU!"

In his panicked state, Gohan rushed forward and swung the petrified hand like a club in an over-head swing. Dabura was so surprised by the sudden move that he didn't even attempt to block the strike. The hand turned club struck him square between the horns with a sickening crack. Dabura dropped like a sack of potatoes to the ground in a heap, but Gohan refused to stop there. He repeatedly struck the demon with his own petrified hand, even as the stone began to crack under the strain. Once it reached halfway up his forearm, Gohan unleashed a blow that completely snapped the hand off at the wrist, making a jagged tip. He hesitated only for a moment to inspect the destroyed limb before quickly making up his mind and thrusting the sharp point straight into the demon's neck, just below the chin.

Dabura made no coherent sound, only a gurgle as the jagged stone ripped his throat apart, taking the major arteries with it. Deep red blood poured out of the wound around Gohan's limb, soaking his clothes through and creating a pool on the floor. Gohan panted ragged breaths, still clutching his forearm with his left hand and staring hard at the nub where his hand used to be, still solidified and coated in Dabura's blood. As he sat there watching, the rock began to fade, to be replaced with a near unbearable pain that racked his body, originating where his hand used to be. The rock faded completely and the flesh of his arm turned back to its normal red and pale skin, and began spurting bright red blood everywhere.

"Fuck!"

Gohan clamped down, cutting the circulation off and slowing the flow of blood from the wound. He saw that the shattered remnants of his hand had also turned normal, leaving a pulpy mess that was barely recognizable as a hand. He didn't even notice as he fell out of his super-saiyan state completely. He half recognized the movements of the others as they too returned to normal and began moving about on their own.

"What the… Gohan? GOHAN!"

Krillin's cry rang loud, and suddenly there were five more people huddled around him as he cradled his destroyed arm. Everything began to blur. He felt the shakes set in, worse than he'd ever felt before. He was familiar with shock, and he knew he was beginning to go into it, but the sudden loss of his hand had ground his mind to a halt. He heard the panicked shouts of the others as they scrambled to help him. He felt the urge to cry out when 17 used a ki blade to cauterize the bleeding nub, but could not. He continued to just stare at the destroyed limb.

_First my shoulder. Now my good hand. I've lost the use of my arms when I need them most. I've failed even before I've begun. I cannot fight to my potential. I can't beat Buu if he's anywhere near as powerful as Dabura. I've made myself useless. I've let them all down._

Part of his mind rejected the statement, willing him to believe that he still had a purpose outside of fighting. But no matter how he thought about it, he always came back around to his own shortcomings.

"Come on Gohan, we need to get you out of here."

A strong pair of hands picked him up off the ground and attempted to steer him away, but Gohan dug his heels in. He regained his wits about him, forced his self-depreciation aside, and took a deep breath to collect his thoughts.

"Babidi. We need to find Babidi."

The hands on his shoulders gripped harder, and Gohan felt a familiar presence as Piccolo sighed heavily.

"Shin and the others are searching. They've gone into the next section of the ship. Shin is convinced that this was the last chamber before the control room."

Gohan pulled away from Piccolo and leaned against a cargo box, resting his head against the cool metal and trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his arms. He wanted to be furious, he wanted to rage and destroy the ship. He wanted to make Babidi pay. But the combination of turning super saiyan three and the loss of blood rendered him extraordinarily tired, and barely capable of complex thought.

"Piccolo, why didn't you tell me about the Supreme Kai?"

Silence.

"I know who he is. I also know he's the reason that my father was kept in other-world."

"… How?"

"Babidi."

More silence. Piccolo shifted uncomfortably before him, staring at his former student with a curious expression.

"I'm sorry Gohan. I was trying to avoid starting a fight."

Gohan nodded his understanding, to exhausted now to do anything else. Silence settled in again until Gohan laughed drily.

"You made a wise choice. I didn't take it well. I nearly killed him."

"Hmmm… Why didn't you?"

Gohan shifted his gaze from nothingness to his former mentor's face. Piccolo looked thoughtful, and more than a little puzzled.

"He promised to grant dad life if I spared him. Couldn't pass that up could I?"

Piccolo continued to gaze at him thoughtfully, still as the statue he had been minutes before. Gohan felt his eyes beginning to close of their own accord, and shook his head to stay awake. A commotion from the other end of the room stirred him into full awareness, and he was greeted by the sight of the others rushing towards him and Piccolo with varying expressions of frustration and anger. Piccolo noticed this and crossed his arms in the stance he always took when he didn't like something.

"He wasn't there was he?"

The supreme Kai answered his question, glaring around the room as if Babidi would pop out from behind a box at them suddenly.

"No, he must have made a run for it with Buu's pod when he saw that Dabura was done for. He's gone."

Gohan struggled to his feet, unaware of the quaking in his own muscles as his mind began shutting off his pain receptors to compensate for the throbbing in his arm.

"We need… To go after him!"

His statement was met with sounds of general protest, mostly from Krillin and Piccolo.

"No Gohan!"

"We need to get you to Dende. We don't even know where Babidi went, and we still need to find Vegeta and Goku."

A sharp crack rung out from behind Gohan, and in his groggy state, he stumbled around to look at the newcomer in a drunken manner. The orange gi and distinct hair-style rang bells in Gohan's head, and his heart jumped in his chest.

"Dad!"

"Goku!"

"Hey guys, di-… Kami, Gohan! Your arm!"

His expression changed from that of grim contemplation to open panic as he took in his son's battered form. He rushed forward and grasped him by the shoulders, eliciting a wince and pained gasp from the demi as his grip jerked around the damaged shoulder.

"What happened?! Who did this to him?!"

"Never mind that Goku, we need to get him to Dende, pronto!"

Krillin's raspy voice was loaded with urgency and command that Gohan had rarely heard. He felt his godfather grasp onto the back of his blood-stained gi, and assumed the others had grabbed onto him, because next he knew, he was being squeezed through a figurative rubber tube.

***THE LOOKOUT* **

Videl roamed about absent-mindedly on the lookout. It had been several minutes since they had landed, and something in the pit of her stomach made her restless. She had recovered remarkably well considering that only a couple hours ago she was beating on death's door. Her limbs still felt weak, but she was at least able to move on her own. So she did, pacing about in anxiety. Lime and the others still hadn't arrived with the dragon balls, and she didn't feel like speaking with anyone at the moment. She had briefly met with Dende, who had immediately gone to assist Erasa and Launch with Bulma, who was still in a state over Vegeta's actions.

_It's all going so wrong. This cannot be happening! Vegeta is kami knows where doing kami knows what to who, the other fighters are still missing, millions have lost their lives today alone, and I still can't shake this feeling that things are only going to get worse._

She suddenly recalled something that Sharpener had said during the boxing season the previous year when several of the fighters had suddenly gotten sick and the Orange Star boxing team had to back out of a tournament.

"_This, Videl, is what I like to call Murphy's Law. If it can go wrong, it fucking will go wrong."_

He had been so frustrated that he had actually gotten drunk for the first time in front of her, and made a total ass of himself in the process. The string of memories brought forth struck a chord in her over-stressed mind, and she found herself chuckling in spite of her on mood.

_**CRACK**_

The sudden noise caused her heart to jump into her throat. She spun around in an attempt to face whatever enemy dared track her to the lookout and start shooting at her. At first she was confused to find nobody actually shooting at her, but when she recognized what she was seeing, she realized she would have preferred that to what was actually there.

"GOHAN!"

There was Goku, ruffled and slightly singed but okay, supporting his eldest son. She quickly inspected him and went into full panic mode. His complexion was pale, his eyes were distant, and his jaw was set in a pained scowl. His shoulder was being held at a weird angle, and he was nursing the nub of his right arm, which was loosely wrapped in a torn up piece of his own t-shirt and dripping blood in a steady stream onto the perfectly white tile of the lookout. His gi was shredded to pieces, revealing most of his battle scarred chest, and his pants were dyed with two different tones of dried blood. Behind the two Son men stood Tien, Shin, Krillin, and Piccolo. All of them appeared to be in good health, or close enough to it that Dende would have no trouble healing them.

But she only had eyes for the eldest Son child. She rushed forward, quickly enveloping him in a hug and assisting Goku to steer him towards the lookout. No sooner had she taken his arm than he seemed to finally give in to his exhaustion. He smiled weakly down at her just before his knees buckled, and all of his weight dropped onto her and Goku. She fought to control her own heart rate as she began panicking, and screamed out to anyone that could hear her.

"GET DENDE! SOMEBODY PLEASE! GET DENDE!"

***LATER THAT EVENING – LOOKOUT MAIN HALL***

Goku sighed heavily and scratched the back of his head. He couldn't bring himself to look at Bulma, though he could feel her eyes boring into the side of his head. Everyone was gathered with the exception of Gohan, who was in a bed recovering from his injuries, Chi Chi, who refused to leave his side, and Piccolo, who had taken up a post outside of the building along-side Mr. Popo. Goku knew that the Namekian could hear everything that was happening, so there was no worry of him being left out. Dende grasped the sides of his head and settled his arms onto the table with a grimace.

"I've done everything I can for Gohan guys, but I can't re-grow a hand. On top of that he re-tore the ligaments in his left shoulder. The same ones, in fact, that I had to create for him and gradually have him strengthen. I re-attached them but now he's back to square one with that shoulder. If he goes all out again without strengthening it, it'll just keep tearing over and over again. I hate to say it guys, but... Gohan may not be a viable option as a fighter anymore. He's too vulnerable without the effective use of his hands."

Goku felt himself blanch at that.

"Not able to fight? How could we tell that to him? You realize what that would do to him?"

Nobody in the room answered his question, everyone already knew the answer to it. He noticed that Videl and Lime seemed lost in their own worlds away from the group along with the four kids, who had already laid down for a nap. Krillin was the one to break the silence.

"He has to realize it already, he hasn't spoken a word since we were in Babidi's ship. He will have to come to terms with it, but he'll need help. Let's give him some space for now."

Several in the group nodded in silent agreement, and once again silence settled in on them. Tien shuffled uncomfortably, but cleared his throat and voiced the question that everyone had been wondering.

"Goku, what happened with Vegeta?"

The tension in the room thickened so quickly you could practically see the air become opaque with it. Goku sighed heavily and began his part of the story.

"Babidi used his mind tricks on him, and won. He tried with Gohan too, but failed. Vegeta wasn't completely under his control though, and came after me while we were still aboard the ship. I think Babidi realized that Vegeta was about to unleash a blast that could destroy his entire ship, with him aboard it, and he teleported us to the arena. I don't know why the arena, but that's where we ended up. Kibito got brought with us, and in his attempts to halt Vegeta… He was destroyed. Along with a large portion of the city outside the compound."

He looked towards Shin cautiously, unsure of what the Kai's reaction would be. To his surprise, Shin seemed to be accepting of his comrade's fate, and only nodded grimly.

"I refused to fight him, and that's when he lost it. He tried to blast me and I tried to deflect it, but it was too powerful. He hit the downtown district and destroyed the whole city, and millions of innocent people."

A muffled sob escaped from Bulma's lips, but she waved away any attempts at comfort. Goku sighed heavily again and continued.

"I had to stop him. I got a hold of him and used IT to get us somewhere remote, and there we fought. We were at it for a solid ten minutes, perfectly matched. Until he just… disappeared. He was charging me with some attack I didn't realize, then went stiff and just blinked out of existence before my very eyes. I couldn't feel his ki anywhere after that, but I could feel the others' ki not far away. So I IT'd to them and then came here with them. You guys have seen everything since then."

A moment of silence held in the room as those gathered tallied up the score. Android 17 was the one however, who voiced what everyone else was thinking.

"So as it stands right now; Gohan may be out of the picture, Kibito is dead, Vegeta is under the control of the enemy, we have no idea where Babidi ran off to, and there's no telling when or where he will release Buu?"

Shin nodded grimly, clasping his hands together.

"It would appear so."

From across the room, Goku could barely make out two words that Videl muttered to nobody in particular.

"Murphy's Law..."

**A/N: For those that are not familiar with Murphy's Law; it is the state of being in which "If it can happen, then it will happen". It does not necessarily mean that everything related to murphy's law is negative, but the application that most people (especially anyone who's ever served in a uniformed military) recognize is that everything that can go wrong will.**

**Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed it! Can anyone guess who the mysterious voice that was talking to Videl was? **

**On another note, I think i've come to the conclusion that I will also write a fic about Goku's time in other-world and his interactions with the Saiyans. It's not a focus in this story since the main character is Gohan, but I have a lot of ideas that I think I can use there too.**

**R&amp;R and have a fantastic day, no matter what you're doing. Also, If you celebrate it, Happy Thanksgiving!**


	29. Murphy's Law Pt2

**Hey all! Right quick before we get started, I would like to address something that was miscommunicated at the end of last chapter, and it has to do with Gohan's condition. Yes, he lost his right hand in the fight. Yes, he re-injured his left shoulder when he got hit while Babidi was trying to mind-rape him. Yes, Dende voiced his concerns about Gohan being a viable option as a fighter. With that said, I didn't say he was incapable of fighting. Now, without going into further detail on this, I'll just say that I tried to clarify it in this chapter for you. On another note, I'm extremely ecstatic that I was able to elicit so many feelings in that chapter, including the outrage of how it ended.**

** As you might have noticed, this is the second (and probably last) of the two part chapters that I'll be writing for this fic. There was almost a part three, but I managed to get everything I wanted and more into this one. The result is what you see here... all 12000 words of it. So grab your popcorn and your favorite beverage, because this one is a long one. R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 29: Murphy's Law, Pt. 2**

Videl strode out into the sunlight on the lookout, wincing slightly as the rays beat down on her sleep deprived eyes. As far as she could tell, none of the Z-fighters had returned yet from their search.

_It's been three days since Babidi disappeared, and we still can't find him… I can't make sense of anything that voice told me while I was out, and now I'm reduced to sitting here and worrying with the rest of the families. He said I was supposed to be important but this… I'm a fighter; I should be out there helping. I hate this sitting around and waiting. I feel so… useless…_

Her musings were interrupted when she noticed that someone else was also out on the platform at this early hour. She halted abruptly and stared at Gohan's back hard, unsure of what sort of state of mind he was in, and what he was doing. His back was to her, with his arms at his sides and his head hung forward, as if he were searching over the side of the lookout for something. His Navy blue gi waved in the gentle breeze that swept over the platform, and his remaining hand was clenched into a white-knuckled fist. He stood there, unmoving like a statue, just waiting for something that Videl didn't comprehend. Videl sighed heavily, wondering what she should do.

_He's ignored everyone for the last couple day, even his siblings, and he's been leaving for hours at a time on his own. I don't think anyone has even been able to hold a conversation with him since he woke up, with the exception of when Bulma suggested we use the dragon to heal him. I thought he would jump at the opportunity to get himself fixed, but he blatantly refused to let it happen. _

_**~~~FLASHBACK – DAY AFTER THE FIGHT~~~**_

The room was silent as the Z-gang contemplated what should be done next. The only ones not present were Piccolo, Dende, and Launch. Bulma rubbed her temples as she leaned over the table with an exasperated expression. She glanced towards the two blonde teenagers in the room and sighed heavily.

"Look, I know you two are Gohan's and Lime's friends, but you both have families down there who are worried about you. You should let Goku take you home… Lime, you should go see your parents as well."

The three teens stared off into nothing as they considered her words. It was true, none of them had spoken to their families since leaving for the tournament, and surely they had heard about what happened there. However, they all seemed to be of like mind on the matter. Lime spoke up for them all.

"Bulma, I understand your concern, but I won't abandon you all. I won't abandon Gohan right now either. If you can get me in contact with them I will tell them that I'm okay, but I'm not leaving."

The firmness of her voice left no doubt that she meant what she said, and the other two fed off her strength, nodding their agreement. Bulma half-heartedly glared at them, but knew that if she were in their shoes, she would have come to the same conclusion. When she thought about it, she actually had. Her parents were still at Capsule Corp. Goku interjected into the conversation at this point, voicing a matter that the others were still hesitant to discuss.

"Speaking of, what do we do about Gohan? He woke up this morning finally after Dende managed to heal the worst of his wounds, but he's still not well. He can fight still, of that I'm sure, but changing up his style completely to accommodate two crippled arms is going to leave him vulnerable. I'm sorry but I don't want him fighting, especially if we encounter Vegeta or this Buu thing. I'm worried he'll get himself hurt worse."

His words carried a heavy weight to them that none of the Z-fighters heard from the Saiyan very often, and the depressive nature of them seemed to drag everyone down with them. Bulma pressed her hands against her face, rubbing it in a vain attempt to rid herself of some of the pressure building in her head. The room remained silent. Bulma dropped her hands to the table and stared at them thoughtfully.

"Well… We do have the dragon balls. Maybe we could just ask Shenron to fix him up?"

"Hey yea! I don't know why I didn't think of that before!"

Suddenly, the room was filled with a buzz as the others perked up, voicing their agreement with the suggestion in different levels of enthusiasm. But that all came crashing down with the harsh voice of the person in question.

"Absolutely not."

The group started and turned rapidly to the doorway the voice came from to find Gohan there, leaning against the doorframe, clutching his now-healed nub as if to be sure that his hand was really gone. His eyes were slightly unfocused, but stern and hard as ever. A scowl decorated his face as he looked about the room groggily. Bulma stood up quickly, pushing her chair back with a loud scrape. Goten and Ria both yelled out excitedly and rushed towards their big brother, grasping him around both of his legs and grinning up at him. But even they were unable to break through the teen's mood and elicit a smile.

"Gohan! What are you doing up?! You should be in bed recovering!"

"No. Bulma just stop. I don't have time to be laying around in bed, I have to find Babidi."

"Well then let us use the dragon to h-"

"No! I'm not worth using that wish on! If the worst comes to be then we will need the Dragon to revive everyone and fix the planet! Even at full strength I may not be able to beat Buu, so don't waste the wish."

His words hung over them like a black storm cloud. Goten and Ria looked up at their big brother fearfully, still unsure of what was happening. Without looking down, he gently pried them off of his legs and nudged them towards their mother, who was quietly crying as she stared into her eldest son's face.

"You know I'm right. I'll do what I can as I am now."

"But Gohan, we –"

"I said no Bulma!"

With that said, he turned on his heel and marched out of the room, the echo of his footfalls fading as he distanced himself from them.

_**~~~END FLASHBACK~~~**_

_I understand the logic behind why he said that, if we do end up needing the wishes for something later, we'd be screwed, but I don't want to accept that. I can't stand seeing him this way. I can only imagine what kind of hell he's putting himself through… hell, here I was complaining about being useless, when he's the one who's really been hurt…_

She longed to comfort him. If she could tell him that it would all be alright, and have him believe her, then she would do it. But as it was, she had no idea what to tell the demi. She'd brought the subject up with Lime, as well as the blondes, but got nothing from any of them. Nobody seemed to know what to do with him. The Z-fighters had been out constantly on search parties in an attempt to locate the wizard, as well as Vegeta, but as of yet, nothing had shown up. Gohan had also been leaving for long periods of time on his own, refusing to even acknowledge any offers of help. So they all went about their way searching, giving him the space he needed. She had a gut feeling that when they found their targets, the relative quiet they had fallen into would quickly disappear into chaos. When that time came, she hoped that she could do something, anything, to help. She wanted to have purpose.

_Maybe that's what he needs… A purpose… Though, if he believes himself useless, then he is sorely mistaken. We need him... I need him…_

She quickly decided that she had had enough of his self-induced isolation from everyone. She steeled her nerves and strode towards him quietly, running things through her mind that she wanted to say. She had hoped he could provide some insight on the voice she had spoken with in her unconscious state, amongst many other things that had been on her mind. Up until now, she hadn't even had an opportunity to talk to him one on one. But as each step drew her closer to him, she began to lose more and more of her thoughts. She halted a few steps behind him, completely drawing a blank as she took in his unwavering form. Silence reigned for a few moments, where Gohan neither moved nor made a sound. Videl tugged at the elastic fabric of the gloves she had recovered from the chopper, casting her gaze to the cracks in the white tile as her nerves got the better of her.

"Did you find anything? When you were out last night?"

He shifted ever so slightly, and she knew he was listening to her, but he made no response. She cleared her throat and pushed on.

"I saw you leave in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep…"

Silence hung heavy in the air once more, and the demi made no move to speak yet again. Videl felt a pang of frustration at his actions, but suppressed the urge to spin him around and force him to speak with her. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes.

"Gohan, please talk to me?"

"Why?"

She was so taken aback by his cold response that she was lost for words for several seconds. She stared at the back of his head in confusion, pleading for him to say anything to explain. She fought the tug on her stomach as it attempted to fall through the floor of the lookout and bit back the retort she was urged to throw at him.

"Because you haven't spoken with anyone in days. You've been avoiding us all, and we're worried about you. You've barely eaten anything, you haven't slept. You can't do this to us Gohan… You can't shut me out."

He remained silent, not even showing that he had heard her. His gaze continued to pierce the cloud cover below the edge of the lookout in a constant vigil. Videl was about to turn about and storm off in frustration when he finally responded, his voice barely over a whisper.

"No… I didn't find Vegeta. I sensed his ki, his actual ki, for a second. I thought I could find him."

Videl halted herself before she could turn about completely and stared hard at the back of his head. She felt multiple things at once; relief, anger, dread, sorrow. She wondered if perhaps she was experiencing sympathy pains for the demi due to the heavy tone of his voice that seemed to fill her with a sadness beyond her own anxiety. He sounded defeated. Videl pushed her own feelings aside, hoping that the few words he had finally said would open the flood-gates. She noticed that his left hand drifted over to his right arm, absently running his fingers over the place where his right hand used to be.

"Gohan, you should rest. I know you're still not okay from the fight with-"

"I'm fine."

His statement was sharp, and silenced her. A cold chill ran up her spine at the sound, and she felt the sharp burn of tears beginning to form in her eyes. She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stay in control of her emotions.

"No… No you aren't. Gohan, you've been hurt, more than just physically. I'm no fool, I've seen how you're taking all of this… You don't have to do this alone. Let us help you, please?"

"I can't… This is my responsibility to fix."

"Gohan, the others are looking for-"

"What happens when they find them? What will they do about Vegeta? Who among us all can do what's got to be done?"

The question caught her off guard, and she halted with her mouth wide open. For the first time, Gohan turned his head to look at her. His eyes were set hard, and a serious scowl decorated his lips. Videl thought he looked gaunt. The strain of the last few days was definitely getting to him.

"Goku… And you…"

"Right, anyone else would die at his hands! It has to be me."

"What about your fa-"

"My father deserves better than that!"

The statement rang out, and she furrowed her brow in concentration. She searched his eyes even as they bored into hers, trying to understand the meaning behind his statement. Her confusion was evident in her expression, because Gohan growled and turned away from her again to stare into the clouds once more.

"I know better than to believe that Vegeta can be saved. When he is found, he will have to be killed. How could I force my father to commit that act? How can I let him be the one who has to Kill Vegeta? No matter what Vegeta's done, how do you thing Bulma and Trunks will think of whoever does it? I've already ensured that he will live on after this is over, and I will not willingly allow anything to come between him and the others. It was my mistake that resulted in his death, and Kai's or not, that's why he was gone for seven years. He deserves better than he got. He deserves to live… It's the way it should have been."

She continued to stare at the back of his head, processing his words carefully.

"I should have died that day, not dad… It was an unfair trade to everyone who loved him."

She could feel the tears beginning to come now, and fought to hold them back. She failed ultimately, and her vision blurred as the tears filled her sight.

"What about the people who love _you_? "

Gohan tensed visibly at her question, and for several seconds he said nothing. She begged him in her mind to say something. When he didn't, she clenched her eyes shut and prepared herself to voice the thoughts that had become apparent to her over the last couple days.

"_I_ love you Gohan. Does that not mean anything to you?"

It felt strange to say those three words to him, yet it felt right. It solidified in her mind what she had begun to believe over the course of the last few days. But even though it confirmed her feelings to herself, she could feel the tension become nearly solid between them. His breath caught and silence reigned over them both. She didn't dare breathe as she awaited his response.

"You shouldn't… It will only end with a broken heart."

Her chest suddenly felt empty, and she was suddenly at a loss for words. She clutched at the front of her t-shirt, which suddenly felt entirely too tight. He continued, and she felt every word hit her like a hammer blow, forcing her heart to sink more and more.

"Everyone I get close to ends up getting hurt. Everyone suffered when dad died. My brother and sister nearly died at the hands of Broly, and so did Lime. You almost died in the ring, and I failed to do anything about it. And now I am crippled. I am vulnerable. I have a weakness that could end in my destruction, and if that were to happen…? I already experienced what it's like to lose someone you love. I don't want to be the source of anyone's suffering anymore… I shouldn't have dragged you into this mess."

"I don't care! Dammit Gohan! I've been thinking about it for a long time, and you can't convince me otherwise!"

He didn't say anything in response. He didn't even move, and her frustration boiled over suddenly. She closed the tiny distance between them and pulled him around to face her. He resisted at first, but allowed her to turn him. His hands remained by his sides, and his eyes down-cast, refusing to look at her as tears of desperation leaked from her eyes. She gripped his shoulders hard, setting her jaw and staring hard at him while trying to control her own emotions.

"Gohan, look at me… Please look at me?"

He pursed his lips and his eyes shut tight. She watched his jaw work as his teeth clenched and unclenched, struggling with himself.

"Please?"

That final plea seemed to finally get through to him, and his eyes opened to lock with hers. She just stared into those obsidian pools, so full of hurt and sorrow, searching for any of the spark she had seen when they were together before the tournament. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and blinked away the tears that still welled up in her eyes.

"I know you're trying to protect us, but isolating yourself is not the right way. We're all in this together, like it or not. Bad things happen to good people, there is no way to change that. The only thing we can do is fight it."

"I do fight it, and when I do, everyone I care about becomes a target! That's the curse of having the abilities I have! I cant…"

"What? You can't what?!"

"I can't lose anyone else! I'm not strong enough to deal with it again!"

His outburst left a ringing silence on the lookout. His eyes softened and his shoulders slouched as his anger dissipated rapidly.

"I can't lose anyone else… I thought you were dead, and it tore me apart inside. If someone like Babidi discovered that weakness, I'd be putting you in danger. I can't do that to you."

His jaw clenched again and he shut his eyes, practically radiating his anxiety. In spite of what he was saying, Videl felt her stomach do a flip of joy. She was reminded of her conversation with Lime that seemed so long ago now.

_**"Believe me when I say that he's afraid of really getting close to someone, especially when it comes to the possibility of love. He's an older brother to me, and I love him as much as anyone could, and I know he loves me back, but he will never say it out loud. I havn't heard him say the words all but maybe a dozen times since I've known him, and it's always been towards his little brother and sister."**_

To her, his admittance of a weakness, especially towards her, was as good as an admittance of love. She let the thought fill her, and used it to strengthen her resolve. She gently reached up to cup his cheeks in her tiny hands and looked directly up into his face. His eyes opened slowly and she saw that light that had been missing moments before. That same hope that shone in his eyes when it was just them. That same spark that she had fallen in love with.

"Gohan, we are in this together, you hear me? I love you, and there is nothing that can be done to change that. If Babidi finds us then he finds us, you can't stop it by abandoning everyone who loves you. We need you now more than ever okay?"

His lips pursed and he blinked rapidly a couple times, fighting back the glossy film that coated his eyes. He nodded and reached up to envelop one of her hands in his own. Where moments ago her heart was on a downward spiral into blackness, it now soared. She smiled warmly up at him and just stood there, drinking in the moment.

"TRUNKS! GOTEN! RIA! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

The high pitched wail echoed out from the lookout, shattering the serene moment taking place between them. Immediately, the two of them spun to look towards the source of the noise to find Bulma and Chi Chi frantically running about in search of the children. The two teens glanced towards each other, their expressions grim, and ran towards the two mothers.

"Bulma! Mom, what's going on?"

The two women halted in place and turned to face the two of them as they approached. Chi chi was in hysterics, mumbling incoherently with wild eyes that darted everywhere in search of her query. From inside the lookout, Lime, Sharpener, Erasa, and Launch in her blonde form all came running, looking just as panicked as the other two.

"I couldn't find any of them!"

"Me either."

"They aren't here!"

Videl heard Gohan take a deep breath and looked towards him to find his eyes closed and an exasperated expression on his face. She too felt the frustration he was experiencing, and turned towards Bulma, who was still somewhat in a state of coherence in spite of the panic that clearly shone on her features.

"Bulma, what's going on? What happened?"

"We can't find the kids! I went in to get them for breakfast and none of them were there except Marron! All the fighters are gone and I have no idea where to look!"

"They're not on the lookout Bulma… no they're… What the hell are they doing out there?!"

All eyes turned to the elder demi-saiyan as his eyes snapped open and a serious glare decorated his features. His head turned sharply towards the edge of the lookout and a growl emerged from deep in his chest.

"Gohan! You can sense them! Where did they go?"

He turned back to the blue haired genius, and ran his remaining hand down the side of his face irritably.

"They're still on the move. Best I can tell, they're headed towards home. I don't know what they hope to find out there."

"Oh… Oh no…"

The words were barely audible, and the Son matron paled as she uttered them. Her hands began to shake and her eyes were unfocused. Gohan strode forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, leaning down to look her in the eyes.

"Mom… What is it?"

Tears began to well in the corners of her eyes as she focused on her elder son.

"It's… It's Trunks and Goten. They were talking yesterday about Vegeta, and how they thought they could save him! I didn't think they were serious about trying to find him! Oh Kami what if they _do _find him?! And Ria? She must have been trying to talk them out of it and went with them to protect them when she couldn't! Oh my babies!"

Videl's blood chilled at the woman's words, and her feet felt leaden. Gohan seemed similarly affected, and his jaw dropped in disbelief. He seemed to recover quickly however, and gently squeezed his mother's shoulder.

"I'll find them mom, don't worry."

But his words couldn't get through to her. She went into a full emotional melt-down and began hyperventilating. Bulma seemed to regain some of her wits at Gohan's proclamation however and rushed to her best friend's side along with Launch. Gohan wasted no time, turning on his heel and preparing to sprint towards the edge of the Lookout and giving chase. He was pulled up short however, by the small form of Lime grasping onto his destroyed arm. He paused and turned his head to look down at her, his expression focused and serious.

"Gohan just… Just be careful?"

"Lime, I'm just collecting the Kids. I'll be right back."

"All the same… I want you to bring that back to me, okay?"

She pointed towards his chest, where the grass ring she had made so many years ago was still strung around his neck on a chord. He glanced towards the small memento, and back to his oldest friend. He said nothing, setting his jaw and looking between them all. His eyes locked with each of theirs in turn, only for a moment, until his eyes met Videl's once more. She nodded to him, allowing her worry to show on her face. She wished that their moment hadn't been interrupted, but she knew this was important. She took a deep breath and smiled weakly at him, trying to tell him without saying anything that she'd be waiting for him when he came back.

The corner of his mouth twitched ever so slightly before he turned from them and sprinted away, diving off the edge of the lookout and taking to the air. As he disappeared over the edge, Videl felt the smile slide off her face as her worries resurfaced in full force. She glanced towards the other teens, who all shared the same worried expression, before turning and making her way to assist Bulma and Launch with the Son matron.

***439 MOUNTAIN AREA***

"Guys, we really should head back! Our moms are gonna kill us if they find out we left."

Ria trailed slightly behind the other two young demi-saiyans. Earlier that morning, Trunks had convinced Goten to accompany him in an attempt to find his father. Ria still didn't quite understand what had happened to him. All they knew was that Vegeta was apparently on the bad-guys' team now, and her friend was in denial about it. The lavender haired child glared at her over his shoulder as they soared above the rolling foothills surrounding the Ox kingdom.

"Ria, you can go back if you want, I'm going to find my dad!"

The wind rushing past her ears made her irritable growl silent to all but her. She glowered and continued to glare at the back of his small form.

"But trunks, you heard that Shin guy, your dad is fighting for Babidi now."

"I'm his son! He'll listen to me."

Ria sighed heavily and looked towards her twin, who looked back with a thoughtful expression.

"Ria, we gotta try and help him. We just got our dad back, why should we let Trunks lose his?"

Surprised at her brother's insightfulness, she blinked in surprise a couple times while she considered his question. She really did want to help Vegeta, and Trunks as well. But they had been specifically told to stay on the lookout until told otherwise. Leaving when they did felt wrong, and dangerous.

"What if we do find him, and he doesn't listen to Trunks though? We should have at least brought Gohan."

Her twin gave no answer. Together they pushed themselves after their friend, flying over the forest below in a blur. They were at it for several minutes when Ria began to recognize features of the terrain.

_Are we… Why would they come here?_

There, below them and to the front, was a massive crater dug out of the side of a mountain. Vegetation had finally started to grow back in through the scorched earth and glassed sand. A short distance away from the massive scar on the mountain was a small clearing where signs of a battle from long ago still showed. A deep trench dug into the ground that was now filled with grass and moist with rain water stuck out in the middle of the clearing. Several toppled trees littered the immediate area, and off towards the edge of the clearing was a much smaller crater that had filled in with water. A faint energy could still be felt radiating from the earth around them as they set down in the clearing.

"Trunks, this is where Gohan and Broly fought… What are we doing here?"

Trunks sighed and looked around them with disappointment in his eyes.

"I heard dad ranting one day about how Goku had surpassed him again during this fight because Gohan was his son, and then your dad said that my dad tried to fight him when Babidi tricked him. I just thought that maybe he'd come here since it's where Gohan first turned Super Saiyan three, _and _where he comes to think apparently. I don't know maybe I'm just being an idiot, but I have a gut feeling."

The stress behind his voice forced his words to be choked by fear, and she felt her hesitations to help him fall away. She silently vowed that if there was anything she could do to help bring Vegeta back onto their side, she would do it. She didn't quite understand his logic, but if this is where he thought his dad would be, then she would help him search.

They had only been in that spot for a few seconds before Ria felt a peculiar ki flare up a short distance away from them in the direction of a clump of trees. She concentrated hard and immediately her senses went on high alert. Trunks and Goten both noticed it as well and the three of them halted facing the forest with wary expressions.

_Oh man I hope that's not anything bad… Please don't be Vegeta?_

Her heart jumped in her chest at the thought that they could be in serious trouble, and she was flooded with adrenaline. She found her deep reservoir of ki and tapped into it, transforming into the Super-Saiyan state with a strained grunt. Her golden aura burst up around her and she glared into the bushes, waiting for whatever it was to show itself. Surprised didn't even come close to what she felt when she noticed movement from way above in the canopy of the trees. A pair of long ivory horns that curled back on themselves were the first thing she noticed, followed quickly by a pair of enormous green and blue eyes that seemed to glow in the shadows of the trees. She hesitated for a moment, staring up at them in confusion, unblinking. The other two didn't notice it however, and as soon as she turned her head to say something to them, an enormous crash shattered the air and wildlife fled in all directions as a huge deep purple dragon burst from its cover.

"LOOK OUT!"

Trunks and Goten both shot into the air, but Ria was suddenly frozen in place. She could only stare up at the Dragon as it lumbered towards her with a loud roar. When it was no more than fifty feet away from her, it did a final bound-jump, soaring towards the air at her. Still startled by the beast's actions, she covered her face instinctively. There was a crash and a harsh dust-filled wind that rushed past her, followed by a burst of hot air that flung her hair up and about and filled her nostrils with the scent of dragon-breath.

For several seconds she dare not move, but when she peeked between her arms, she was greeted by those same blue-green orbs staring her right in the face. She blinked in surprise twice and felt her heart jump when the eyes staring back at her followed suit. A purple blur between his the horns on his head revealed his tail was up in the air and wagging back-and forth playfully. Recognition jolted her out of her shock, and her face lit up. She dropped out of her Super Saiyan state and reached up to keep the hair out of her eyes.

"Icarus?"

The Dragon picked it's head up off the ground to yap at her, though it came out as a deep rumble that made her insides feel strange.

"Icarus! I can't believe it, it's you!"

Ria closed the short distance between them and threw herself onto the dragon's muzzle, wrapping her arms as far as she could around his head with an excited laugh. The Dragon made a deep-bass humming noise and pulled itself off the ground to his considerable height, continuing to stare at the little girl gripping to his face. Goten, realizing who it was he was looking at, dropped the short distance to the Dragon's head and joined his sister in embracing their old friend. Trunks stared at the three of them, flabbergasted.

"Wait, since when do you two know a _dragon_?"

The two of them separated themselves from the beast and grinned up at their lavender haired friend. Goten scratched behind Icarus' jaw, eliciting a snorting grumble that could only have been a laugh from the Dragon.

"Icarus was Gohan's friend when he was a kid, but when we were born we became his friends too! He was a lot smaller the last time I saw him though. That was when Broly was here."

Ria looked over the dragon again, realizing her brother had spoken true. Icarus had grown a third again as large as he was before, and while his neck and limbs were still extremely muscular, he had elongated to where he looked much more serpentine. Several scars were etched into his skin, one in particular sticking out in her mind. Icarus had a large pale scar that stretched across his face from above the left eye to the tip of the snout. She recalled the day that Broly had come, watching the super-saiyan pound the dragon across the head and swatting him out of the way in his bid to get to Gohan and Goten. She realized that she hadn't seen the Dragon since that day, and felt a pang of guilt for not trying to find him earlier. She inspected the ki of the dragon again, and realized that he had also grown in strength as well, surpassing even Krillin in sheer energy capability. Were he to unleash the energy blast from his maw like he had at Broly, he could probably destroy several mountains in the area without too much trouble.

"Well come on Trunks, he's friendly! I promise he doesn't bite."

No sooner had the words left Goten's mouth, and Trunks hesitantly floated towards them, than Icarus locked eyes with the mini-prince and growled a deep-throated growl. Trunks immediately cringed and halted where he was. Ria furrowed her brow and looked towards the dragon, puzzled by his sudden protectiveness.

"Icarus you can trust him! It's Trunks, a friend of ours."

The dragon's eye darted to her for a moment before locking with Trunks again. He pushed his head forward to sniff the air around him, and immediately growled even louder, pulling his lips up to bare his teeth. Ria rushed forward and stroked the dragon's check, looking between the two in bewilderment.

"Whoa, calm down Icarus! What is it?"

"Do I need a shower?"

Trunks lifted an arm to smell himself before looking indignantly towards the dragon. Goten cocked his head to the side, considering what the dragon was doing.

"Well, you do smell like Vegeta…"

As soon as the name Vegeta was uttered, Icarus snapped his jaws and growled even louder, glaring hard at Trunks. Ria blinked a couple times in surprise and looked towards trunks. She began connecting some dots, and made a couple assumptions that surprised her.

"Trunks, you look like your dad, you smell like your dad… I think that Icarus is confusing you _for_ your dad… But then why would he react like this? Last time your dad was anywhere near him, he was fighting with Broly right?"

Trunks looked thoughtful for a moment, considering her words before nodding his agreement.

"Yea… Unless… Unless he's seen him since dad was captured…"

Goten's eyes shot wide, darting about the forest below.

"But that would mean that he's been around here, or still _is _around here!"

Icarus ceased his snarling and shifted his gaze towards the forest behind him and froze. Ria watched him for a moment before turning to follow his eyes, and felt her heart plunge.

"V-Vegeta?"

She couldn't feel his ki, but there was no mistaking the figure that came rambling out of the woods like a zombie. Trunks began to rush forward towards him, but the pit in Ria's stomach forced her to reach out and grab him before he could get too far.

"Ria! Let me go it's my dad!"

"Trunks, just stop for a second! Something is really wrong about this, just look at him! What's wrong with his eyes?"

She felt the creeps chill her to the bone as she stared hard at the figure. He stepped fully into the light and she felt the urge to vomit rise in her throat. He was completely disfigured. His muscles had swollen to an obscene level, nearly as massive as Broly's had been. Veins throbbed on every patch of open skin and his hair was stuck up in the super-saiyan form. But what got to her most was his face. It was still recognizable as Vegeta, but only just. His eyes had a sunken look to them, and they seemed completely out of focus. His mouth was clenched shut with his jaw muscles working furiously. A calligraphic M was now tattooed on his forehead. The prince didn't even seem to recognize them, but there was no doubt he was staring right at them.

Icarus let forth a fierce roar, lunging towards the Saiyan and placing himself between him and the kids. Trunks wriggled free of Ria's grasp and shot past the dragon, landing mere feet before his father. Vegeta didn't even seem to notice Trunks, instead staring dumbly at the dragon glaring down at him. Ria considered for a second chasing after Trunks, but she went against her own instincts, and decided she should let him try. She prepared herself, signaling to her brother to do the same, and transformed into a Super Saiyan. Vegeta's eyes suddenly shifted, finally focusing on one thing: Ria.

"Dad! Dad it's me! Come on dad let's get you out of here, everyone has been worried about you!... Dad?"

Vegeta didn't even acknowledge him. Ria became more and more uncomfortable under the Prince's blank stare, seeing absolutely nothing behind those teal eyes, not even anger.

_It's like he's not even in there anymore!_

Suddenly, Vegeta made a move, throwing his head and shoulders back and roaring into the sky. There was no way for Ria to describe it besides a howl of pain. His ki suddenly made itself apparent and her blood ran cold. She wasn't sure if it was his scream or the sudden amount of ki he possessed, but she knew that if they stayed there, things would not end well for anyone.

"Trunks! MOVE!"

Trunks spun his head around to look at her wide-eyed as she prepared the attack that Gohan had taught her long ago. Icarus jumped into the air, spreading his wings and taking flight as she released the blast.

"Masenko HA!"

The golden light shot forth from her hand, straight past the lavender haired child's head and impacting center mass on the Prince. The blast detonated and Vegeta shot backwards into the woods, cut off mid-roar.

"We need to go NOW! There's nothing left to save Trunks, let's go!"

She pushed herself full speed towards her friend, grabbing him at the elbow and dragging him the other direction before he could protest. Goten realized her intent and shot into the sky in the direction of the Lookout, with Ria and Trunks in close pursuit.

"Ria let me go! Why did you do that, I could have talked to him!"

"No Trunks, you'd have gotten yourself killed down there!"

A golden beam of light shot past them, straight into the sky. Ria glanced behind them fearfully and saw Vegeta burst from the woods with an unintelligible scream.

_Kami! That would have killed us if that had hit! I've never known him to miss before, either I'm really lucky, or whatever Babidi has done to him has messed with his fighting._

Vegeta began to close the distance. He pulled closer and closer, firing blasts erratically at them, further convincing Ria that his mind was no longer his own. Trunks finally started flying on his own, realizing the gravity of the situation. When it seemed that Vegeta was about to catch them, a bright blue blast bolted in from above and hit the prince square in the back. The detonation was colossal, and Vegeta disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The shockwave from the explosion tossed the three children about before they halted themselves in mid-air to look back at the spot he had disappeared. From above, Icarus floated down on expanded wings, searching for his kill. He approached the cloud, only to find that his kill was very much alive, and seething with rage. The smoke cleared to reveal a slightly burned Vegeta, who promptly turned to face the dragon and unleash a powerful punch straight into the side of his head. One of the ivory horns snapped off close to the base, unleashing a downpour of steaming red blood into the forest below. Icarus' head snapped to the side, and the dragon began to fall, his wings forgotten in his unconscious state.

"Icarus! No!"

Ria's scream earned her the attention of the Saiyan prince, who's head snapped around to find her. Her heart jumped into her throat as he turned to face them, cupping his hands at his sides and forming ki balls in them. A feral snarl decorated his features, and the three of them froze in place, fully aware of what was about to happen.

***SOMEWHERE OVER EAST CITY***

Goku froze in place, narrowing his eyes and focusing on what he was sensing. A moment's contemplation was all he needed to confirm his first suspicions.

_Dammit! What are those three doing?! They found Vegeta alright, but his ki feels so bizarre! Dammit and that's Gohan! He's got to be fighting right now, there's no way that amount of energy can be anything but Super Saiyan three! Oh this is not going to be good! The others are already on their way, looks like Piccolo is the closest._

Without another moment's hesitation, he focused on the ki of his eldest child and pressed two fingers to his forehead in preparation.

***MERE MOMENTS BEFORE - SCENE OF THE FIGHT***

Gohan rushed forward as fast as he could force his body to go in its third transformation of the Super-Saiyan state, his golden hair flowing behind him and his aura leaving a streak in his wake. He'd felt the Prince appear suddenly, and the spike in his sister's ki that accompanied a transformation. The three kids were rushing towards him at full speed, closely followed by Vegeta. His sharp eyesight spotted a huge cloud of smoke in the distance bloom into existence, and as he drew closer he saw Icarus get batted aside by what he guessed was Vegeta. He could barely make out the four figures until he was less than a mile away. The three kids were frozen in place, watching helplessly as Vegeta prepared a blast. Time slowed down as he forced the maximum amount of ki he could out of his body, sending him darting through the air faster than could be tracked. He closed the distance in mere seconds, colliding with the Saiyan hard, and sending them both pelting towards the ground.

The world kept spinning, even after he had stopped moving when he hit the ground. His eyes wouldn't focus properly as he pushed himself up onto his feet. A spell of dizziness washed over him and he shook his head to rid himself of it. He realized that he must have blacked out from the force of the impact, and quickly scanned the area around him as his eyes adjusted to the massive headache that now plagued him. He'd landed in the forest nestled in the valley where he'd killed Broly. Trees were snapped every which way in a path behind him, and he could spot the three kids still floating in the air at least two miles away.

_Damn, I wonder how fast I was going when I hit him… Shit where's Vegeta?!_

His answer came in the form of a slight rustle of movement behind him. He barely managed to avoid the brunt of the punch directed at him, still taking some of the blow to the back of his skull, sending him flipping forward. Gohan halted himself, digging his feet and good hand into the soft earth, and glared up at his opponent. The prince hadn't spoken a word, he barely even seemed to recognize who it was he was looking at. Nothing in those dark pits of his eyes was recognizable. Gohan prepared himself for the worst, and attempted to get through to him.

"Vegeta it's me! It's Gohan!"

Vegeta completely ignored his statements and rushed forward, his muscles rippling as he prepared to attack. Gohan dodged out of the way of his attack, deflecting his punch and retreating to a safer distance. He saw his father appear out of thin air beyond the Super-saiyan and take in the scene below. Gohan quickly pointed towards the three children, still frozen in place. Goku immediately understood his intentions and rushed to grab hold of the kids while Vegeta was focused on Gohan.

"Come on Vegeta! I know you're still in there, shake him off!"

Gohan dodged yet another wild attack from the prince. He watched his movements carefully, wary of the immense power that was behind the attacks. Were one of them to actually land, he would be in some serious trouble. Fortunately, each of them seemed strained and misdirected.

_This is so strange, Vegeta's a much better fighter than this! This is like… like he's _trying _to miss._

His thoughts felt confirmed when a strike that would have certainly struck home suddenly twitched a tiny bit to the wrong side, allowing Gohan the chance to dodge the attack.

_He's got to be in there still, maybe…_

"Come on Vegeta! Talk to me man, I know you can hear me! We can get you through this."

But his pleas fell on deaf ears. Vegeta just kept on coming, and Gohan kept dodging. He refrained from full on hitting the Saiyan back, hoping against his better logic that there was a way to save him. Desperate for an opportunity to calm the prince down, Gohan dodged under another wildly swung punch, pushing behind him and wrapping his right arm around the Prince's thick neck, clamping down on both sides in a blood choke. Vegeta clawed at his arms wildly, digging deep trenches in his skin that dripped blood. Gohan gritted his teeth and attempted to clasp his hands together before he remembered that his right one was no longer there. After a moment of fighting to maintain his hold on the prince, he grasped his right wrist with his left hand, leaning back and squeezing hard enough to hopefully knock him out. Vegeta thrashed about, throwing elbows at the demi and attempting to throw him off, but nothing he did could shake Gohan's grip.

"Vegeta you've got to listen to me!"

Vegeta roared unintelligibly, his movements becoming more and more erratic. Gohan realized that his choke would not be enough to knock the Saiyan out, given his overly muscular build. He simply couldn't cut off enough blood supply to matter. Just when he thought that the Prince was about to break free, he froze. Vegeta completely stopped thrashing, instead clamping down onto the arm wrapped around his neck. A moment was all it took for Gohan's heart to sink as he felt a dangerous spike in the Prince's ki.

"Vegeta! Don't do it!"

Even as he yelled the words at his former sparring partner, he knew that there was nothing for it. Vegeta's skin began to heat up rapidly with the amount of ki he was preparing to unleash at once. Gohan was forcefully reminded of what he had attempted when he found out his mother was pregnant, how he had nearly forced so much ki out of himself that he would have simply burned away or exploded if he had not gotten cold feet at the last second. Gohan begged inwardly for anything else, even for the prince to start swinging at him again. But knowing that Babidi had spent the last couple days exerting even more control over Vegeta's brain until the point that there was really nothing remaining of his old friend left him with a cold understanding of what he had to do. He growled in anger and leaned his head in close to Vegeta's ear, even as the prince started to glow with his excess ki.

"Vegeta my friend, I'm sorry."

Gohan grasped Vegeta's chin with his remaining hand, held him still with his right arm and jerked his hand around sharply. Vegeta's head spun on his neck and a sickening crack ushered in a heavy silence. The price stood there for a second, left standing on his feet with his head facing the wrong way. The glow that had begun to emanate from his body vanished and he toppled forward onto his chest. Gohan, knowing full well that with Babidi's magic he would simply rise again and repair his neck, thrust his left hand out to his side and formed a ki blade around it. His heart pounded in his chest as he prepared himself. He stepped on Vegeta's back and slashed his arm down and forward, cutting clean through muscle, bone, and sinew. The cut was true, and Vegeta's head came free of the rest of his body.

His ki disappeared, and Gohan just stood there, panting and staring at what he had done. Even having committed the act, he was having trouble coming to terms with it. It wasn't the first time he'd killed, but none of the others had been so personal. This felt like he had killed a part of himself in the process. He screamed his pain to the sky, wishing in that moment that anything would come down from the heavens and smite him. But knowing that the universe could never be so kind to him, he settled for trying to force his pain out through his voice.

_That's it… The prince of all Saiyans is dead. Damn Babidi! He will pay for this!_

Gohan dropped out of his Super Saiyan state completely, reverting to his normal black. He dropped to his knees, letting the waves of regret and sorrow course through him as he panted for breath. He could feel that the kids were now back at the Lookout, courtesy of his father no doubt, and that Piccolo was almost upon him. He thanked his father inwardly for removing them from the scene, especially Trunks. He wondered how he could possibly face him now. Even Bulma, his godmother and easily the most understanding woman he knew, would hate him for what he had to do. He just knew it. After all, how could she not? He'd just killed her husband, her mate, the one person in her life that she was truly bound to, even further than just emotionally.

But all the same he knew it would have to be this way, and he took comfort in the fact that he was the one to do it. A small part of his debt towards his father felt paid, even if it was now soaked in the blood of one of their friends.

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Piccolo, who pulled up short behind him and took in the scene. Gohan thought he must look quite the mess. No doubt he was bruised and battered from the first impact with Vegeta, and now he was coated in blood, both the Prince's and his own. Gohan sensed Piccolo approaching him slowly, but refused to take his eyes from the form of the dead prince. He felt a consoling hand on his shoulder, and the Namekian's deep voice cut through the silence.

"Gohan, it's okay kid. You did what needed to be done."

Gohan wondered if perhaps Piccolo shared the Kai's abilities to read minds. His statement was simple, but it solidified his belief that he had to do what he did, and was what he wanted to hear. It wasn't much of a comfort, but he knew that at least his old mentor was still on his side. He pushed himself to his feet, still staring at the prince. He felt wrong, leaving him in this state, sprawled out in the dirt. But he realized that there was at least one more priority target for him to deal with before any proper respects could be made. He set his jaw and turned to look at Piccolo, his eyes hard and focused.

"We need to find Babidi. This has to stop before anyone else dies."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he felt a horrible presence not far from them. The ki was even stranger than Cell's, and his was literally a mashup of all of the Z fighters and some of their more powerful enemies. It practically radiated hatred and discontent. There was no trace of anything besides pure evil within it, and it was growing. He stiffened and turned towards the direction it was coming from. He looked towards Piccolo, who reflected the horrified expression he knew he was wearing.

"It's Buu. That has to be, there's no way that can be anyone else."

Gohan knew he was right, even without seeing the thing for himself. At the rate the ki was growing, there was no doubt in his mind that whatever was generating it would not go down easily if he let it gain full power.

"Let's move!"

Gohan cast a final glance at the fallen Saiyan prince before shooting off into the sky towards the source of the ki, closely tailed by Piccolo.

***ELSEWHERE – 439 MOUNTAIN AREA***

The clouds cleared above a deserted mesa nestled in the heart of the mountains. Upon it stood a tiny wrinkly alien dressed in a red cape, blue baggy trousers and a black blouse. He was shouting to the sky and hopping about excitedly before a large pock-marked ball that looked similar to a walnut, minus the fact that it was spouting steam from several holes along the crack that ran down the middle.

"They might have killed Dabura, my entire crew, and destroyed my ship, but now I HAVE WON! Buu will be unleashed and this universe will fall before me!"

He danced around in a circle, laughing maniacally, until he spotted two specks descending from the sky towards him. He halted his movements, glaring up at them until he recognized the two figures.

"NO! You can't stop me now, I'm so close!"

He was cut off as a pair of blasts streaked down from the two figures, which he was barely able to avoid by blinking out of existence and reappearing behind Buu's pod. The force of the blasts shook the earth beneath his feet, and the pod rocked back and forth before settling again. Babidi peeked around the pod in time to see the two figures land, and immediately recognized both Gohan and Piccolo.

"You're too late saiyan! Buu is waking, and there is nothing you can do to stop it!"

Gohan clenched his teeth together and motioned for Piccolo to circle right around the pod while he began to circle left, keeping the pod before him at a slight distance.

"This isn't over yet Babidi! You're going to pay for the lives that were lost. You will pay for Vegeta!"

A high pitched cackle rang through the air, pulling memories of his attempted enslavement to the front of his mind.

"And this time, you won't even get a _chance _to turn me to your side."

He continued to circle, but was still unable to see the wizard. Piccolo mirrored his movements, his face an impassive mask of seriousness. Babidi continued to cackle, and spoke.

"Fool! Don't you get it?! It's because of you that I have won! Whether or not you realize it, you've supplied all the energy I need to resurrect Buu!"

A cold pit formed in Gohan's stomach at his words. He glanced towards piccolo fearfully, unsure if he had heard properly.

"How? I would never help you!"

"Oh you Saiyans are so thick-headed! I channeled the energy through my minions you idiot! When you killed that arrogant ass Vegeta, and let me tell you he was definitely an arrogant ass, you gave me the final burst of power I needed!"

Dread welled up in his chest when he recognized the honesty in his words. He wanted badly to deny it, but there was nothing to tell him that it wasn't true. It lined up, and it was devious enough to work. Piccolo recognized the look coming over him and bared his teeth angrily.

"Gohan, don't listen to him! He's just trying to manipulate you again, don't let him win!"

"See now you're just being stupid. Why would I lie to you when I'm _already _about to win?!"

Gohan's cold dread slowly began to shift, changing forms and building heat rapidly. He glared at the steaming pod before him and clenched his remaining fist until he drew blood. His breathing picked up rapidly as rage began to flow through his veins once more. He transformed effortlessly into Super Saiyan, and then ascended with just as much ease.

"You used me. You turned me against my own family and friends without us even knowing it. You forced me to kill Vegeta. Oh Babidi, you should know, you are so totally FUCKED!"

As he roared the last word, he reached deep down and dragged out his third transformation, shaking the world and forcing several parts of the plateau to crumble and fall into the canyons below. Piccolo remained rooted on the spot, holding his position and watching for any sudden movements. With the transformation completed, Gohan glared hard at the spot he knew his target to be at. He didn't even move from his spot. He placed his left hand above his forehead, palm out. His right arm mimicked the movement, but with no hand to complete the action, he simply crossed it with his left wrist. He let his rage fuel the blast as it expanded into tangible light in his left palm.

"MAAAASEEEEENKOOOOO…. HAAAAAAA!"

He thrust his hand forward, unleashing a torrential blast that immediately impacted the side of the pod, sending it hurtling towards the edge of the mesa. Left in its wake was a very crushed Babidi that stared up at the sky with wide eyes. But Gohan focused on the pod, hoping against all odds that he could destroy the monster inside before it was unleashed. As it disappeared over the edge of the mesa, he swore he saw it crack down the middle and begin to crumble away under the force of the energy being thrown at it.

_Yes!_

Gohan stood straight, satisfied that the threat had been eliminated. The ki he had felt building before disappeared with the first impact of the blast.

"Ack!... No… Buu!... You mon-… monster! My father's work!"

The weak voice of Babidi caught the demi's attention and further fanned the flames of his anger. He strode forward a few steps until he was looking down at the battered body of Babidi. His nose wrinkled in disgust, and he growled deep in his chest as he watched the alien twitch in pain.

"This ends now."

"Even… Even if you kill me. I still win."

Gohan held his left hand out towards the alien, glaring between his fingers at him as he cackled through his own pain. The wizard's words rang in his head, returning his anxiety in full force. Without any hesitation, he forced his ki through his hands, completely obliterating Babidi where he lay and leaving a huge scorch mark on the rock. Gohan, who suddenly began to think that things were going too easy, remained in his third transformation, eyes darting about. He sensed the appearance of his father a short distance away by Instant transmission, with Krillin and Shin in tow.

"Whoa Gohan! Third transformation huh? That's increadi-"

"Dad, not now!"

He continued to look around cautiously, with a constant feeling that they were being watched. The others took his unspoken warning seriously and looked about as well, preparing themselves in case they had to move. Piccolo shifted next to him.

"I don't feel anything kid, I think you got them."

"Something doesn't feel right Piccolo. This was too easy."

"Gohan, where is the pod?"

The high voice of the supreme Kai grated at his nerves, but he forced himself to think of his father and the life he would live as long as he kept Shin alive. He nodded his head towards where the pod had last been seen disintegrating. Silence hung over them as they watched. Gohan narrowed his eyes and barely caught a flash of movement from the opposite edge of the mesa. He spun his head that direction and blinked in surprise at what he saw.

"There! What is that?"

A small pink blob of what looked like silly putty squirmed its way onto the top of the mesa, with long tendrils shooting out and grabbing ground every step of the way. Gohan was forcefully reminded of the times he'd seen microscopic footage of white blood cells as they moved.

"There's more! Over there!"

"And there!"

Gohan's head spun both directions as more and more of the little pink blobs began pouring over the edge of the mesa towards them. First there were only a few, then a dozen then a hundred, until there were so many that Gohan couldn't have counted them quick enough. He failed to sense anything from any of them, and watched in horror as they closed in on their little group. Goku transformed into his Super Saiyan state, and then ascended with a grunt, further increasing the already rough wind being generated by Gohan. The others powered up as well, and Shin prepared himself.

"It's Buu! I'd recognize this stuff anywhere."

Krillin looked at him sideways, his incredulous expression mirroring that of both Goku's and Piccolo's.

"Are you sure? It's just a bunch of blobs, what are they?"

"You don't get it Krillin! They are all Buu, he can reform himself however he wants. They all make up one being! Do not let them touch you, he can swallow people that way and add their power to his."

Gohan gritted his teeth and looked about for a solution. Seeing none, he turned his head towards the Supreme Kai.

"Is there any way to destroy him?"

"Yes, but he has to be utterly destroyed. Every last bit of him needs to be disintegrated."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?!"

Gohan unleashed a beam of light from his hand, drawing it across the tide of pink blobs. Several were caught in the blast, and charred away into dust. The others followed suit, throwing their own energy at them. The blobs were closing too fast however, and there were too many. Gohan realized the futility of their actions and turned towards the others once more.

"Guys this isn't going to be enough, we need to get out of here!"

Goku, realizing that his son was correct jumped into the sky. Piccolo, Krillin and Shin followed closely behind, joining him above the plateu. Gohan unleashed one more beam of light and jumped after them. He made it only a couple of feet before something caught his foot, halting him in mid-air. He glared down and saw a much larger blob of pink goo congealed together and wrapping around his foot. He kicked at it with his other foot, only to have it get caught as well.

"Shit!"

He extended his palm towards it, unleashing another blast that charred away a portion of it, but all the other mini blobs began adding themselves to the larger one, crawling up his legs. He felt the bones in his shins beginning to crack under the intense pressure that the goo was exerting on him, and watched in horror as what appeared to be a face started pushing out of the amassed blob. A feral grin and pitch black eyes, devoid of any white, materialized in the center of the mass. Fear like he had never felt before clawed at his insides. This couldn't be happening to him, this was like something out of a bad horror flick. He barely kept his wits about him enough to realize what Buu was doing. He rapidly went through his options and threw a last ditch effort blast straight at the face.

"Gah!"

The blast impacted, but only served to increase buu's grip on his legs. He felt the bones snap under the force, shooting a blinding pain up his legs and into his chest. Still, he forced his panic down and shot his gaze skyward, where the others were desperately trying to help him by blasting the goo, but to no avail. Goku rushed forward, grabbing a hold of the front of his son's gi before Gohan managed to thrust him away forcefully. Goku's fist had found the leather chord that was tied around his neck, and pulled it free when he was forced back. Gohan didn't even notice as the small ring was removed from him.

"NO! GET OUT OF HERE! GET THE OTHERS!"

Goku hesitated, staring longingly at his oldest son.

"NOW!"

Gohan barely got the word out of his mouth before the blob shot up and around him, closing off his view of the others and sealing him inside. It pressed in around him, hot and uncomfortably humid. The stench was that of rotting flesh, and no matter how he fought, it forced itself in around him on all sides. He felt burns on his arms, and he felt his ribs snap under the intense pressure. His shoulder tore and popped out of place again, and his skull felt like it was about to explode as the goo seeped into his nose, mouth and ears. He writhed in agony, refusing to go down without a fight.

He had heard the stories about how a person's life flashed before their eyes when they were about to die, but he couldn't see anything of his life. There was nothing except for the faces of those that he cared for; His mother and father, so proud of him despite his shortcomings. Lime, his oldest friend and the woman he cared for as much as he did for his siblings. Goten and Ria, the little bundles of joy that made his life over the last seven years' worth living. His friends from school who he had come to care for over the short time he had known them. And Videl. She had told him that she loved him that very morning, one thing that he feared and yet always craved. Despite the amazing thing that was love, he had always forced it away out of fear, and now he would see his earlier statement come to light. He had told her that loving him would end in heartache, but this was never how he had expected it to go. Trapped within the belly of a monster, his own powers being turned against the very ones he had vowed to protect.

_No! No I will not go out this way! You want to eat me Buu? Then chew on this!_

He began gathering all the ki he could muster, drawing it within him and focusing on it. He expanded it and compressed it, forcing it into the smallest area he could manage without compromising any of its potency. He felt his life leaking from him rapidly, and thought the last thing he could before he released the energy in a final blast.

_I'm sorry Videl… I love you._

***OUTSIDED THE BELLY OF THE BEAST***

Goku could only watch in horror as his son was enveloped entirely in the pink goo. Signs of his struggles were evident for a few seconds, but then it began to still. He still clutched the ring in his hand, forgotten in the moment.

"GOHAN!"

Nothing made any sense to him. Buu couldn't have gotten Gohan. It simply wasn't possible. Yet his eyes told him it was all true. He was deaf to the shouts of the others as they tried to pull him away. He could only stare at this pink blob in front of him. It began to shape itself and form. A face started to push out of it, baring huge fangs and cold black eyes at them. A rough shape of a body started forming before Goku shook himself out of his state and realized what was being shouted at him.

"Goku! Gohan's still alive in there, but he's going to destroy this entire area! We have to leave NOW!"

Piccolo jerked on the back of his gi, further returning him to earth. He quickly inspected the ki of his son, barely masked by the beast before him, and realized the amount of energy preparing to explode within was more than enough to wipe out at least this solar system were it directed to. His eyes widened and he spun to look at the others.

"Grab on!"

The others did so, and he focused on a mountain off in the distance, pressing his first two fingers to his forehead. He felt the feeling of compression that accompanied instant transmission, and they appeared on the mountain. He could feel his son's ki off in the distance and looked towards it. No sooner had he looked than the sky turned white. Everything blanked out as the flash from the explosion flooded the landscape with blinding light. No noise was heard yet from this distance, and when it dimmed enough for him to look, the sight before him made his stomach jump. A huge fireball lit up the sky, turning everything a hazy orange color and easily covering multiple square miles of the land below It and mushrooming up into an enormous cloud. He watched as the shockwave from the explosion shattered the ground below it and ripped every tree in sight up from it's roots, and it was closing fast on them.

"HANG ON TO SOMETHING!"

A faint wind picked up moments before it hit.

_**BOOM!**_

The force of the initial explosion nearly threw him back over the mountain, and if he hadn't prepared himself, it would have. The roar of the explosion shattered even the rocks about them, and rattled him down to his bones. He felt earth crumble around him, and covered his head as rocks fell about him. Heat assaulted his bare skin, and all they could do was cover their heads and wait for it to stop. What seemed like an eternity later, things began to quiet down. There was still a hot breeze on the air, and Goku noticed that several of the rocks about them looked slightly charred. He stood, fighting the sensation of nausea and the tingling that permeated every inch of his body, and took in the view before him.

"Kami…"

The cloud of ash and smoke remained, filling the sky completely. Even at this distance, he could see an enormous crater dug into the ground, spanning for several miles across its widest point. Smoke rose from it in a thick black sheet and everything seemed to glow like fire for miles around it. It wasn't until closer inspection that he realized that there was nothing combustible left within at least five miles, the forests having been completely swept away. The glow was the rocks themselves, super-heated until the point that they had become molten.

It looked like hell had come from below and invaded the surface. But no matter what lay before his very eyes, the only thing he could see was his son's face in his mind. He glanced down at the charred leather dangling from his hand, and opened his clenched fist to reveal a small grass ring that faintly held an aura reminiscent of Gohan's. He didn't know what the tiny ring was, or what it meant, all he knew was that it was his Son's.

"He's gone… They're both gone…"

**A/N: Aaaaaand flame on! This one came out a bit longer than I originally intended, but I'm not complaining. On a side note, i've been kinda half-working on another project for this site, so the next time I put a chapter up for this i'll likely have a link to the other one. The intent is to have another story covering Goku's time in otherworld (Vaguely mentioned in Chapter 26 if I remember right). I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, or are at least riveted enough to come back for the next one. As always, have a fantastic day!**


	30. Prelude to Horror

**Oh hallo! I know, it's been a little over a month since my last update, and I'm sorry. I spent a lot of time with my wife for the holidays, and also welcomed two new members to the family! On a _completely_ unrelated note, cats are ass-holes... Adorable ass-holes when they're kittens, but ass-holes nonetheless... With needle-teeth. Anyways I've got this one ready for you now, and the first chapter of my second fanfic coming down the pipe now. Keep your eyes out if you're interested, or just wait for my next chapter here, and I'll post a link to it. Or don't... I'm a writer, not a cop. Anyways, on to the story! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 30: Prelude to Horror**

A faint wind picked up on the surface of the lookout as Lime watched over the edge. She wouldn't have even noticed it were it not for the fact that her hair had been perfectly still prior to that moment. She'd taken to sitting at the edge of the platform since the kids were brought back, watching for her best friend to return, even if he was refusing to talk to anyone. It hurt, knowing that he was in so much internal turmoil that he refused any basic human interaction. It was the same thing as always, every time he had pushed her away, it was "for her own good".

She hated that.

Still, she had hopes that when he returned, he would talk to her. She'd seen Videl leave the comfort of her bed early that morning, and quickly drew the conclusion that the two of them had spoken when she saw them together. But then he had to go off and find the kids and who knows what else they found out there. Goku hadn't said much; in spite of the prying of Bulma and Chi chi. After he'd managed to break away he stood by the edge of the platform, waiting for something or someone. He'd only waited a minute or two, glaring over the side of the platform until it arrived in the form of Krillin and Shin, who went with him to wherever it was they were going.

Now was the worst part; the waiting. The others were inside fussing over the children, but not her. She remained to watch out for her friend. Even as she kept her vigil, everything changed. A blinding white flash illuminated the thin cover below, temporarily stunning her. Then the air turned hot. She saw the clouds shift outwards from the brightest point of the flash before she was knocked back by the force of the shockwave that came up to meet her. Her heart jumped into her throat as she regained her wits. She crawled back to the edge of the platform, gripping onto it for dear life and cautiously peering over the edge. She gasped as she witnessed what she would have referred to as Armageddon.

The clouds bulged off in the distance, taking on an orange hue before splitting entirely and revealing a black plume of smoke that billowed into the sky through the cover. As more and more clouds vanished, the ground below began to show. As best she could tell, the planet was literally on fire. She gaped at the spectacle, and felt both awe and disbelief at what she was seeing.

_Unreal… I hope none of our people were on the receiving end of that._

***439 MOUNTAIN AREA – SOME DISTANCE FROM THE EPICENTER***

"He might still be there! Come on guys let's just go look?"

"Krillin, nobody could have survived that. We need to face the facts. Gohan is gone."

Krillin pleaded with the others with a pained need that Goku understood all too well. He knew that were he to look at Piccolo, he'd see a similar distraught and strained expression on his face as he knew decorated his own. Goku clenched his fist tightly around the small ring, now free of its owner's neck. He wished that what he had witnessed was all in his mind, but knew without a doubt that he had seen properly. And while he was an optimist, he knew that there was no hope for his son's survival after he had been grabbed by that pink blob. Yet he thought that perhaps not all was lost. He would be naïve to assume that the threat was gone for good, but if it were, his son could be returned to the realm of the living with a simple wish.

He held onto that thought, and took comfort in the fact that if he was wrong, he would be joining him soon.

"Piccolo we don't know that! I can still feel him down there!"

Krillin's frantic pleas struck chords in all of their hearts, but Piccolo knew when something was a lost cause. He rarely showed any emotion at all, resorting to logic to deal with difficult situations. He held onto the back of Krillin's shirt, his eyes downcast to the scorched earth before them. Goku turned slightly to look at them, forcing his face to remain neutral as possible.

"Krillin, there's a lot of residual energy down there. He's gone, I know it. But we still have the dragon balls, and if we can prove that Gohan's sacrifice was not in vain, then we can use them to bring him back. I think this is what Gohan intended to happen, one way or another. He can be brought back with the others, Vegeta too."

Krillin paused in his frantic pleas to stare incredulously at his old friend, blinking in surprise.

"Dang Goku, I didn't know that you had it in you… You've changed a lot since you left."

Goku just nodded and tucked the small ring into a pocket in the waistband of his gi. He knew what the former monk was getting at, and he wholeheartedly agreed. Prior to his demise he had always taken a lighthearted and joking approach to everything, including some of his worst enemies. But after sitting through seven years of training, learning about the universe and speaking with some of the wisest beings in existence, he had gained a new view on things. He had changed, the way his mind worked had been altered, and no longer was he so naïve. He quite simply had grown up.

"That means we do need to go down there. There's no telling if that thing survived the blast, though I would like to believe Buu is gone forever."

With that statement, Piccolo released the short fighter.

"Come on guys, let's just go? The sooner we find the pile of ashes, the sooner we can wish him back."

Without a backwards glance, Goku hopped off the ledge and forced himself in the direction of the inferno that served as his son's hopefully temporary funeral pyre. He felt the others follow as they began their search of the area. The closer to the center they got, the more unbearable the air became. It was extremely hot, and the land shifted with the wind as the molten rock below them boiled with energy. It flowed into the crater rapidly, sending even more ash and smoke billowing into the amber sky. No matter how hard he looked, Goku felt certain that there was no way anything could survive the hellish conditions they now searched through. Certainly, any wildlife that had existed in the immediate area was instantly vaporized. He felt a pang of sorrow for the creatures, but reasoned that had they not gone out in Gohan's final moments, their fate would have been worse.

Goku halted as he vaguely heard a voice calling above the dull roar of the rocks below him, and cast his eyes about through the haze to find the source. He saw Piccolo off in the distance rushing in the opposite direction of him, and traced his path to find Krillin hovering in the air and waving at them frantically. Now he could hear his voice, but still couldn't make out the words he was saying. Whatever it was, Goku knew it had to be important. He rushed in the direction of the short fighter, with smoke curling about behind him in a tight vortex. As he neared, he saw Krillin point down into the red hot soup, and cast his eyes downwards.

"This can't be happening man! Look at it!"

Goku felt a jolt as his eyes found what it was Krillin had spotted. What could have easily been mistaken for a rock sitting atop a cooled chunk of earth was slowly starting to squirm. It couldn't have been much bigger than his fist, but the blackened outsides of it began to crack, and hot pink goo squirted out of it.

_You've got to be kidding me!_

Without hesitation, Goku cupped his hands at his side, palm to palm, and gathered his ki.

"Kameee Hameeee HAAAAAA!"

The Kamehameha wave burst from his extended hands, darting straight for the charred pink blob. Goku realized too late that it was rising to meet the blast, and enveloped it before it detonated. Chunks of pink exploded outwards in every direction, flying high through the air and off into the distance. Left in its wake was a small pile of charred material. Goku's eyes snapped wide open as he watched the pink goo scatter across the landscape. Some landed in the inferno and burnt up, but other chunks flew clear of the charred region and into slightly less hostile environments. At his side, Krillin gaped at the spot the blob had been.

"I'm not the only one who just saw that right? It really did just use the Kamehameha to scatter itself right?"

Goku and Piccolo both nodded. Goku's mind was working rapidly as he pieced together the horrible truth. He voiced it, more to confirm it to himself than anyone else.

"If one piece survived, then there must have been more. And they could have been scattered anywhere. All that ki… Gohan's sacrifice? It wasn't enough to destroy him was it?"

"Maybe he's weak enough now for us to handle him. Even thought Gohan's blast didn't kill him, I bet he's hurting pretty bad now."

"Or he's barely been scratched… Whatever that thing is made of, it's unlike anything I've ever seen before.

He could hear Piccolo grinding his teeth, and felt a hopeless sense of dread fill him. Shin approached them from somewhere off in the distance through the haze, his eyes wide and his breath short.

"What is it? What did you find?"

Goku locked eyes with him, his expression grim and his heart heavy in his chest.

"Buu… He survived, and we don't know where he is now."

"AAAH! GOKU!"

The scream jolted him into full awareness and he spun rapidly to find Krillin staring down at his chest in a full panic, holding his shirt away from him like he had an abnormally large spider crawling up his front. It took him a second to realize that there was a miniscule pink blob, no larger than an ant, slowly creeping its way up his shirt like an inchworm. Goku prepared himself to destroy the pink goo, but Piccolo held his hand out towards him, pulling him up short.

"Piccolo! What the hell are you thinking? We gotta destroy that thing!"

"Goku just wait a second! I've got an idea. Hold still Krillin."

Piccolo carefully grabbed hold of the shirt, a few inches above the blob, and formed a ki blade around one of his long fingernails. The nail cut cleanly through the shirt, and in no time he had removed a patch of it with the pink blob squirming around on it. He quickly used the shield technique and collapsed the bubble of ki around it, suspending the blob within it. Goku stared between it and Piccolo, still confused on his friend's intent. Krillin scratched at the spot where the hot air was now free to hit his torso, and cocked his head to the side curiously.

"Whew… Thanks Piccolo, but what exactly are you planning to do with that thing?"

Piccolo furrowed his brow in concentration, glaring hard at the blob. Sweat dripped down the side of his face and Goku could see his mind racing behind his eyes.

"We need to figure out how to kill Buu. We need to learn its strengths and weaknesses, and I know just the person to do it."

A figurative lightbulb went off in Goku's head, and he gaped at the Namekian.

"Bulma!"

The Namekian nodded and continued to stare at the little pink blob, which had stilled since it was contained.

"Until then, I think that we need to gather the others and try to contain this… thing. My guess is that split up he's not so powerful, so we might be able to destroy him bit by bit. Bulma will probably need her lab for this thing though."

"Hang on guys. Why don't we just ask the Kai? He's faced Buu before."  
The three of them turned their gaze upon the Supreme Kai, who was lost in thought and staring off into the distance contemplatively. Krillin crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Well, how about it Shin? Any ideas on how we can take this thing down?"

Shin pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in frustration.

"I don't know for sure. We were unsuccessful in killing him last time, which has led us here to begin with. This time though… His behavior is strange, he normally would have formed a single being and just unleashed his full power. He might be doing something… on… purpose… dammit he's getting smarter!"

The sudden outburst from the Kai sent a feeling of dread shooting down into the pit of Goku's stomach, and he prepared himself for the worst kind of news.

"What is it?"

"He's feeding! This world has an enormous energy supply, between all of the living beings on this planet, he has enough energy to resupply and regrow himself multiple times over! By splitting up, he's going to be able to absorb more people at once, and when he _does _make himself whole again, the combined power will be…"

"Invincible."

Goku took a moment to fully realize what it was that the Kai was saying, and immediately felt the pit of his stomach blacken even further. Buu had killed his son, and now it was going about eating his planet, and would become unbeatable if it succeeded. He couldn't allow it. Shin, either by reading his mind, or just sensing what he was going to do by his actions, held his hands out in front of him to stall the seething Saiyan.

"Goku, hang on a second. I have a few ideas as to how we can do this, but we're going to need some help, and we won't be getting it on this planet."

"You mean back in otherworld?"

"Indeed. I'll explain when we get there, but before we leave, I need you two to promise me that you won't use the Dragon balls just yet. We're going to need them later. Keep everyone on the lookout that you can, and try to deal with as much of Buu as possible. The survival of this universe hinges on this."

Silence. Piccolo stared hard at the Supreme Kai, while Goku and Krillin shared a grim look.

"You can't just take Goku from us! We need him now more than ever, especially since Gohan is gone! If you have to take Goku, then we need to bring Gohan back! We have the dragon; why not use it to bring him back?"

"Please just… Just trust me. It's going to seem bleak for a while, but I need Gohan in otherworld for something. As well as Goku and Vegeta."

Krillin crossed his arms and looked towards Goku expectantly. Goku nodded towards his friend without taking his eyes off of the Kai.

"Fine, I can deal with it, but you'll have to explain to the others, and they aren't going to trust you just because Goku does."

Shin pursed his lips, but didn't respond other than with a nod. He waved in the direction of the lookout.

"Well then… We have no time to waste, let us be off."

***CHAZKE VILLAGE***

Mr. Lao kneaded a huge wad of dough that he had been preparing, whistling a tune he had been hearing on the radio all morning. His village was quiet, especially since Lime had left for West City. There weren't too many children about to cause a commotion, though the village was still growing at a steady rate. At the moment there were only three children between the few families there. It was a peaceful existence.

_Except for that strange tremor we all felt earlier. I swear it came from the air instead of the ground._

They'd felt the earth shake, but nobody thought anything of it. Earthquakes happened quite often in the mountainous regions of the world. It had felt a little abnormal, but nothing strange enough for him to focus on.

A high pitched wail shattered the silence, and Lao jumped in shock, staring out his open front door. He ran to the entrance, still coated in a light dusting of flour, and cast his eyes about the usually peaceful scene. There were men and women darting about in a panic, and Lao clutched at his chest as the excitement sent pain shooting through his heart. He gritted his teeth and descended the stairs on his porch, halting a young man as he ran by, toting a rifle.

"James! James, what is going on?!"

The man pulled up short and shouldered his rifle, grasping the elder by the arm and focusing on his face.

"I don't rightly know Mr. Lao, something has happened to Mrs. Watts and the students. Someone went to the schoolhouse and nobody was there! Even the dog was gone, and there were signs of a struggle!"

Lao felt the blood drain from his face as memories of a time not so long ago emerged in his mind.

_It can't be Cell. He was destroyed!_

His thoughts must have shown on his face because James shook him slightly, swallowing the lump in his throat and shaking his head.

"There's nothing left behind sir, no clothes, no nothing! The place is trashed, but we have no clue what it was."

A crash from his kitchen startled both men, and they turned to look back into the house. James took the lead, readying his rifle and bursting through the threshold before Lao could stop him. He halted just inside the house, casting his eyes about cautiously. Mr. Lao began to follow him slowly. He got to the doorway, and James let out a startled yelp. He spun to the right and squeezed the trigger on his weapon. The bullet impacted the wall just as a pink blur shot past the doorway, slamming into him and carrying him out of view range of Mr. Lao, who froze in place with his eyes wide.

The sounds of James' struggles rang loud through the air for a couple seconds, mixed with what sounded like the laughter of a hyena, before a final scream pierced the air and it fell silent. Lao backed away from the doorway as fear creeped into his soul, and his heart continued to pound painfully in his chest. A faint padding sound, like paws of a large dog, came closer and closer, until the source was revealed, and Lao nearly passed out from shock.

First impressions would have said that this thing was a child-sized monkey, the way it used it's overly large front arms, but the body was far too humanoid, bright pink, and extremely muscular. It seemed to be clothed in a pair of baggy white pants and a black belt with a gold buckle that was adorned with a calligraphic M. A head protruded directly from the hunched shoulders, and a menacing face glared right at him with black, pupil less eyes. A set of razor sharp ivory teeth worked rapidly on something that looked so utterly disgusting that Lao didn't even want to imagine what it was. The entire look was topped off by a pink angler of sorts, drooping over the creature's forehead.

Lao clutched at his chest as more pain shot out from his heart straight into his fingertips, making his extremities tingle uncomfortably. He was frozen out of fear, and the rest of the commotion going on about him was silenced by the pounding in his head. The creature swallowed whatever it was that he was chewing on and grinned. A vicious growl emanated from it, and its head shifted from side to side as it considered him.

"You… You look so… _tasty_."

The gravelly voice carried a venom in it that shot into his veins, chilling him to the bone. He panted short breaths and could feel sweat pouring out from around his hairline. The thing stood on its hind legs, displaying that it was actually bipedal. It began walking towards him slowly, with its overly-large upper body bobbing back and forth wildly. A sudden burst of movement from the creature and a high pitched squeal of delight were the last things that Lao would see before everything went black.

***THE LOOKOUT***

Videl burst out into the light of the sun on top of the lookout. She wasn't sure what it was that was causing the panic that clutched at her chest, but whatever it was felt horrible. The Z fighters had been arriving in ones and twos since the disappearance of the kids and Gohan's departure. They had managed to gather a little information from Ria and Goten, but Trunks was still in a state of shock, and it was no wonder why. She fought to keep herself in control of her emotions, breathing the fresh air in deeply and looking skyward to clear her mind.

_This is all so fucking wrong! Vegeta attacked them and Gohan had to intervene. Ria and Goten are so distraught… And poor Trunks… When Bulma gets a hold of that man..._

She noticed that there were others on the lookout who looked as stressed out as she felt. Lime was standing at the edge of the lookout, looking down on the Earth and hugging herself. Tien and Yamcha were milling about together off to the side, talking in low tones and glancing towards her nervously, further plunging her stomach towards the core of the planet. She rubbed her temples to ease the pounding in her head and settle her stomach, focusing on breathing deeply. But she couldn't shake the sensation. She chose to ignore the two older fighters and make her way towards her friend.

"Lime? Lime, I'm… Oh… Whoa…"

As she approached, more and more of the planet's horizon became visible to her, and she understood what had her friend all shaken up. The sky was tinted with a deep orange hue, surrounding a hazy black cloud that plumed up from the ground. As she came abreast of Lime, she realized the scale of the explosion that must have occurred. The earth was scarred and blackened, and in several places appeared to be leaking outwards in bright orange molten rock. Thousands of thoughts shot through her head as she took in the damage, each of them a possible explanation of what she was witnessing, none of them good.

"What happened?"

Lime continued to hug herself, hunching her shoulders, even though the air that was lightly blowing on them was quite warm.

"This is what happens when the universes most powerful beings do battle… I've been to the site of the Cell games only once before, and nothing there could even compare to this. Whatever caused that… I don't even want to think about it."

"We will soon find out. Goku and the others are on their way back now."

Videl and Lime both started at the statement from right behind them, and turned to look up into Tien's impassive face. He had his arms crossed before his massive chest, and stared off towards the scorched Earth below, his three eyes tracking something that they couldn't see. Yamcha could barely be seen disappearing into the dark threshold of the lookout behind him, presumably to gather the others. Videl furrowed her brow in concentration. She was somewhat familiar with the fighters' ability to sense ki since Gohan used it constantly, even though she wasn't capable of doing it herself yet, and therefore knew that Tien knew something about what was going on.

"What's happening down there? I know you can sense it, and I know you and Yamcha were just talking about it."

Tien continued to stare off into the distance, though his brow furrowed in concentration. Videl waited impatiently for his response, wringing her hands nervously.

"To be honest we don't know, that's what we were trying to figure out. What we do know is that there's a group coming back right now, and that the explosion that caused that down there was created by Gohan."

Videl blanched and looked over her shoulder at the scorched Earth below. She had heard the talk, but until she saw it for herself, she had trouble believing the magnitude of power that these people possessed. Now that it was before her very eyes though, she still had a hard time accepting it. It just didn't seem possible for a single being to possess such abilities.

"Well that's good right?"

Videl started and looked to Lime, who still hugged herself tightly but looked hopefully up into the triclops' impassive face.

"I mean there is no way anything could actually survive _that, _so the threat is gone right? Come to think of it, that had to have been for Buu. Gohan wouldn't destroy so much for anything less than to save everyone. Nothing can live through something like that…"

Tien shook his head and swallowed past a lump in his throat.

"The fact that he had to pull out that much ki for one blast worries me. I honestly don't know how we're alive at all right now. That blast was more than capable of destroying the planet… So yea I'd like to think that whatever it was down there is gone for good, but I have no way of telling yet."

Videl balled her fists and crossed her arms irritably.

_Dammit! I'm sick of not knowing! I should have been down there with him!_

Tien placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gave her a weak smile that didn't quite make it to his eyes.

"Videl, he'll be back alright? Gohan is tough, way tougher than any of the others. You'll see him again soon, just watch."

The words felt hollow to her. She wanted to believe him, but as she searched his face, she found no sign that he even believed his own words. A whooshing noise and the rustle of clothing was heard as several figures arrived over the edge of the lookout. The three of them turned and rushed over to meet the others as they landed.

There was Goku, Krillin, Piccolo, and even Shin. They all bore signs of battle, and each was coated in a light black layer of soot through which slightly burnt skin shone. Piccolo held a tiny bubble of ki before him with the tiniest speck of something suspended in it. But there was no sign of Gohan anywhere.

_Okay, okay… just keep calm, he's been going off on his own for the last few days anyways. He's probably still out there searching for something. They didn't have to bring him back so he has to still be alive and moving around out there. Yea, that's it! He's alive, just not back here yet._

"Daddy!"

The high pitched girl's voice sang out across the platform as Marron rushed out of the building on the lookout, closely followed by the rest of the z gang. She sprinted as fast as her tiny legs would carry her, and leapt into her father's open arms, completely disregarding the state he was in. The others quickly joined them and embraced the battered fighters. Chi chi hugged her husband fiercely, and held him out at arm's length to look him over.

"Goku! Kami you had me worried sick! What happened? You ran off without saying anything, and-"

"Gohan?"

The tiny voice cut her off, quiet but still cutting through the air like a gunshot. All eyes turned to find Lime, who had eyes only for Goku.

"Where is Gohan? Is he alright?"

Bulma nodded, pushing forward to come face to face with her oldest friend.

"And what about Vegeta? Is Gohan with him or something?"

Goku's face remained gaunt and serious. His eyes scanned their faces, and he seemed unsure what to do. Videl saw his jaw working as he struggled to say something. She felt the burn of tears in her eyes as she watched his mind work. Tense anxiety began to fill her as she watched, waiting the news she knew was going to come.

_Vegeta is dead then…_

Yet he remained silent. The others patiently looked to him for answers. Piccolo stood in the background next to Shin, his head bowed and his eyes downcast. Krillin hefted his daughter and looked up at his best friend grimly.

"Come on Goku, they need to know."

"This… This isn't going to be easy to hear…"

He paused, allowing them all a moment to brace themselves before he took a deep breath and plunged into it.

"Gohan and Vegeta fought, and Gohan was unable to get through to him. Babidi had corrupted his mind to the point that he was no longer Vegeta. Gohan had no choice, he had to kill him."

Videl felt the jolt that she knew was going to come. She already knew that this was what was likely to happen, but it still didn't make it easier to hear. Her heart bled for Bulma and Trunks, and she gently grasped the older woman's arm in an attempt to provide any comfort to her. Goku hesitantly stepped towards the bluenette, his nervous expression belaying his worry for one of his oldest friends. She held a hand up to stall him, taking a deep breath and blinking away the tears as best she could.

"No, we knew it would be this way. We all wanted another way, but we all knew."

She shook her head, trying yet again to fight back the tears that were forcing their way out, and laughed dryly.

"Well… This day couldn't get much worse."

Even as the words left her mouth, the air seemed to freeze up with tension as the four new arrivals stiffened. Krillin and Goku shared a look that Videl clearly understood as "She did _not_ just say that…" Goku's eyes unfocused, and Videl thought he had started to turn a delicate shade of green. His eyes darted back and forth as he watched something replay in his mind's eye, and when he spoke his voice sounded hollow in comparison to its usual boisterous tone.

"It's worse… Babidi managed to raise Buu, and Gohan… He tried to stop him. Buu caught him, and Gohan sacrificed himself to destroy it."

Vide felt her body freeze all the way to the bone. Everything blanked out as she struggled to understand what he had said. Chichi swayed before her husband before falling in a faint, being deftly caught by him before she could hit the ground. Goku gently laid her down, and Bulma rushed forward to help, still fighting back the tears that streaked down her face.

"You mean that… _that _was Gohan's final moment?"

Yamcha turned his gaze to the hazy cloud that could be seen in the distance still rising into the air, tainting the sky black. Goku nodded solemnly and stood, his eyes refusing to meet anyone elses.

"He self-destructed in a last ditch attempt to destroy Buu… But somehow Buu survived, and as best we can tell, is moving about on the planet in multiple pieces."

"WHAT?!"

Several of the others cried out in despair as he said it, none louder than Lime though.

"You mean to tell me that Gohan went and blew himself up, and this Buu thing is still alive?! How can you even say something like that?! That's not possible! Gohan is the most powerful one amongst us! I don't believe you! I can't!"

Goku locked eyes with her, his expression unreadable as he considered the woman in her panicked state.

"Lime…"

"No! I can't! He can't be… Not Gohan…"

Videl heard her words through the haze that clouded her mind. She heard the desperation in her voice, the absolute need for anything else to be true. But then Goku seemed to realize something and reached into the pocket at his waist to removed something from it. He held up the tiny grass ring between his fingers for her to see, his eyes locked on it, full of sorrow. Lime visibly deflated, covering her mouth with both hands as she gaped at the tiny ring that never left his body but the one time during the fight with Broly.

"This was the only thing I was able to recover from him before… Before it happened…"

"My ring… But… But… No…"

It finally seemed to sink in fully for Videl as she saw Goku step forward and plant the ring into Lime's palm. The hollow in her chest that had been plaguing her all morning seemed to sharpen into a black hole that threatened to swallow her whole. She clutched at her shirt, glaring hard at the white tile between her feet as denial pulsed through her mind.

_He can't be dead… I love him!_

_**"You shouldn't… It will only end with a broken heart."**_

Tears leaked from her eyes, glossing the white tile with a pearly sheen. She collapsed to her knees, cradling herself as sobs racked her body. She had experienced loss and death many times before, none more profound as the death of her own mother, but even that didn't compare to this. To her, it felt like Gohan had literally left a hole in her chest that refused to stop aching. In that moment, she could have died willingly, welcoming its cold grasp to release herself from the agony she was in. This pain was beyond any physical blow she had ever received.

She barely registered the warm hand that settled on her back, gently patting her in a consoling way, and before she knew it she was being pulled up and hugged. She returned the hug in full force, tightly squeezing the large person that she realized must have been her father. Her sobs were muffled in the front of his gi as her sorrows left her in wave after wave of tears shed. When she recovered enough to look about, she saw she wasn't the only one who had been reduced to tears. Chi chi was still unconscious, Lime tightly hugged Sharpener from the front, gently crying into his chest as he simply held her, fighting his own emotions. Erasa had fallen similar to the Son Matron, and was being fanned by a rather unperturbed looking android 17, who seemed to be doing so under the direction of his sister. Goku ran a hand through his hair and sighed, looking towards the remaining fighters.

"This isn't over yet guys. I'm sorry but we have to move on until something can be done about Gohan and Vegeta."

Videl felt her temper flare. She didn't care if she knew he was right. She didn't care about anything. She wanted Gohan back.

"What's the point?! Gohan couldn't kill him, and now he's gone! He's gone and you don't even seem to care!"

Goku's eyes locked with hers, and she saw the outrage that flared within them for a second, only to be replaced with pity. That only served to stoke the fire of her anger, and she shook herself out of her father's grasp.

"Videl no-"

"You bastard! You should have been there to save him! You had that teleport thing and you didn't get him out of there!"

She rushed towards him and threw a punch straight at his face, pouring all of her despair and anger into it. Goku didn't even attempt to block it, but moved slightly with the punch so that the force of his skull against her fist didn't break any fingers. She abandoned her futile attempt to hurt him and resorted to simply pounding her fists against his bulky chest until her breathing came in short choppy breaths, and her shoulders burned. She stumbled and began to fall, only to be caught by surprisingly gentle hands that clutched her shoulders. Videl struggled for a moment, refusing to look up into what she knew was an even more pity-filled expression, but ultimately gave up. She marveled at the fact that during her entire outburst, nobody had moved, or even spoken.

"Videl, I know what it is you're feeling right now-"

"How? How could you?! It's like a piece of me has died…"

"Because I _did_ die. I've already experienced not being around those I care for most for a long time. I've already dealt with the knowledge that I wouldn't see Gohan or Chi Chi again."

Videl bit her tongue, realizing how rash she had acted. He did know what she was feeling, and here he was, calmly reminding her that she wasn't alone, even though he had the full right to lash back at her. Shame welled up in her for her actions, and she clamped her eyes shut so as to keep herself from looking at him.

"But I got my chance to come back, and when I did I found more than I had ever hoped. It may only be temporary, but at least I got my second chance. Or third I suppose…"

He gently reached up and pulled her chin up so that her face was directed towards his.

"Videl, look at me."

She gritted her teeth and parted her eyelids, and for a split second she thought that she was looking straight into the eyes of Gohan. But the sharp pain of his loss was quick to remind her otherwise. Goku gave her a weak smile, and she saw the hope that flooded his eyes, far brighter than she had ever seen Gohan's before. It was an infectious thing, that light. The same thing that she was so mesmerized by in Gohan's.

"We're going to get him back, okay? Just like my second chance, you'll have yours."

She wanted to retort that he was dead, and death was a permanent state of being. But then she remembered that she was standing before a man who had already died twice, and currently was still dead. If there was anyone who would know, it was Goku. She found her strength in his words, allowing the hope that radiated from those obsidian pools to seep into her blackened heart, lighting it just enough to keep her going. She knew that things were bleak right now, but in spite of herself, she dared to hope that whatever Goku had planned would result in what her heart longed for most.

_I will see you again Gohan. And when I do, I'm never letting you go._

***CHECK-IN STATION: OTHERWORLD***

Gohan inhaled sharply at the sudden presence of air that surrounded him. A flood of sensations swarmed over him and his eyes darted about in panic as he tried to understand what was going on. A moment ago he was dying. The uncomfortably warm and humid darkness of the inside of Buu still lingered on his mind. But here, it was light, and surprisingly cool. He stood on a neatly polished floor in an enormous room. In the center of the room stood a huge desk, the same size as an apartment building, and a comparably huge demon seated behind it. Gohan staggered backwards and planted his feet into a fighting stance.

"Whoa calm down there son, you're only just arriving!"

Gohan glared up at the demon as his thundering voice echoed down on him. Confusion still crowded his mind as he attempted to gain his bearings. He glanced down and realized that he was still dressed in his blue and red gi, but he felt different. He felt lighter, and the aches and pains that plagued him before were no longer present. A hazy glow from just out of sight caught his attention, and he looked up towards the ceiling to find a golden ring hovering above his head. The realization didn't shock him, or even stir any emotions in him at all. He was already accepting of it, like it was meant to be.

_Okay, first clue, I'm dead. That means I must be in otherworld… Which means..._

"King Yemma?"

Gohan continued to scan the room, taking in every minute detail. He realized that there were several others in the room with him, most of them blue demons that were roughly the same size as him. King Yemma nodded down at him, clasping his hands together on the desk before him.

"Indeed I am, and you are Gohan, son of Goku. I trust you know where you are?"

Gohan's mind began to settle as he became fully aware of everything around him, including his own body's lack of a proper pulse. Normally, he wouldn't have even noticed his pulse in the first place. But now that it was gone, he definitely could feel it. He looked down at himself and noticed that some of the minor scars that had flawed his skin for most of his life, including the beaten up skin over his knuckles, was completely healed. New. He ran his hands over one another before a jolt shot up his spine, and he gaped at his right hand.

"It's back! What in the hell?"

He pulled the sleeves of his undershirt up to his elbows, inspecting the skin beneath, and realized that everything seemed to have been healed. He glared at Yemma incredulously for a second, only receiving an oddly satisfied smile in return. Thinking suddenly, he quickly stripped the top of his gi down around his waist and pulled the undershirt up and over his head, ignoring the gasps and subtle whispers of the demons throughout the room. He lifted his left arm so that he could see the shoulder, and saw the perfectly smooth skin that stretched over it. The muscles beneath were just as well formed, but there was no subtle ache. Nothing felt wrong. His shoulder was healed. He dropped his undershirt and immediately his hand went to his face, searching over his left eye and cheek. When he felt the divet in his skin that indicated his other scar was still present, he let out a sigh of relief and felt a smile come to his face unbidden.

"I see you approve of your new body."

Gohan nodded and continued to probe himself, searching for any of the old scars and injuries that he had built up over the years. He felt great, full of an energy he hadn't felt for years.

_If this is what death feels like, then there are certainly worse things. I feel nearly euphoric right now… Wow I can't believe I'm happy that they left a fucking scar on my face… I may have gotten too attached to it if they knew I'd want to keep that..._

"I know I'm dead, and I know this is the check-in station… So what happens now?"

King Yemma scratched his beard and looked at him contemplatively as Gohan donned his undershirt and pulled his gi back up over his shoulders.

"Well under normal circumstances, I'd judge you and either let you pass through here and into the rest of otherworld, or I would send you below. But there's been a rather unusual amount of extraordinary circumstances recently, so I don't get to say either way. It wasn't even my choice to give you a new body. Those decisions have been left up to the Kai's."

Gohan's fists clenched and he locked eyes with the demon, unsure if he had heard properly.

"The Kai's? It's not bad enough that they took my father, but now they want me? Why? Did I inadvertently kill one of them when I detonated?"

A sudden thought occurred to him and a smirk decorated his features.

"Ooh did I kill the Supreme Kai?"

"Hardly. You are welcome for the body by the way. Despite what you may think, we have been keeping a close eye on you for some time. I think I correctly guessed you would want to keep that sign of battle."

Gohan started at the new, yet familiar, voice. He turned about to find Kibito striding into the room, a golden halo hovering over his head. Gohan crossed his arms defiantly and turned to face the Kai as he made his way towards the demi.

_So Kibito is running the show right now then? Well, he is the Supreme kai's assistant…_

"Kibito. I'd say nice to see you, but it isn't. I already have a problem with you Kai's, and you two in particular have earned a special place in my heart."

The giant halted abruptly and glared at Gohan, searching for something in him. Gohan knew he was half expecting him to attack, but the burning hatred he held onto was no longer so potent as to force his hand. He rolled his eyes and dropped his arms to his sides, adopting a slightly less menacing posture.

"Relax, I'm not going to do anything. Besides, you're already dead, and I'm in a good mood."

Kibito gulped and paled slightly, and Gohan narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Then you may want to prepare yourself, you are not going to like what I have to tell you young Saiyan…"

Hundreds of possibilities shot through his mind, but one in particular forced its way to the forefront of his mind.

"I swear, if Shin goes back on his end of the deal…"

Kibito tilted his head to the side in confusion before shaking it sharply and holding his hands out defensively towards the demi.

"I don't know what deal you made with the Supreme Kai, but I assure you he hasn't gone back on his word. No, it's worse than that… Buu survived your blast somehow, I'm still unsure of all the details myself. I could feel the raw power of it from here. By any normal being's rights, he should have died along with your planet, but for some reason, neither are gone."

Gohan paled as the words left the giant's mouth, and his eyes unfocused, staring into nothingness.

_The planet? Kami I'm glad I directed it at Buu alone… Still, I wonder how big it was._

"The point is that Buu is still alive and moving about on Earth, and those you left behind may not be enough to handle him."

Gohan closed his eyes and ran his hands down it exasperatedly.

_Dammit! I literally gave everything I had left, and it wasn't enough. What does it take to kill that thing?_

He ran all of the facts over in his mind before coming to a conclusion.

"Fine, but what do you want to do about it? I'm dead, and unless they wish me back, that isn't going to change anytime soon. Especially since Buu is alive… Well… Actually…"

He rapidly thought up all possibilities and tried to imagine what they would do back on Earth. He saw in his mind's eye the reaction of everyone to the news of his death. A pang of guilt assaulted his stomach, but he knew that there was nothing to be done for it now. Then he imagined the conversation that would follow. No doubt someone, probably Bulma, would suggest using the dragon balls to revive him and Vegeta. He'd jump at that opportunity, but knew that if the wishes were used for that, then the Earth would still be at risk. No matter how he went about thinking about it, there was too much risk in it. He wasn't sure what to do about it, but he knew one thing.

"They can't wish me back yet. We need to find a way to contact them and tell them not to-"

"They already know son."

Gohan spun about at the new voice, the familiarity in it setting off alarms in his head. Sure enough, in strode his father in his normal orange and blue getup, closely followed by the Supreme Kai himself, who seemed to be in a state of contemplation. All at once he felt a wide range of emotions, from joy at seeing Goku in one piece, to rage at seeing him in otherworld at all.

"What the fuck?! You said you were going revive him!"

Gohan started towards the Supreme Kai, but was blocked by Goku, who spread his arms before him, preventing him from passing.

"What are you talking about Gohan?"

Gohan glared at Shin over his fathers' shoulder, and Shin returned the glare with an equal amount of fire.

"We had a deal! I spare your life in exchange for my fathers! A life for a life!"

"This isn't over yet Gohan, I wouldn't have brought your father back here without a reason. Please calm yourself and listen, we have much to do and no time to do it."

Gohan didn't give a response, instead continuing to glare at the short Kai, willing him to burst into flames on the spot. Maybe he was being a bit unreasonable, but seeing his father back in other world was not what he wanted to see.

"Come on son, calm down alright? We've got a universe to save, and Supreme Kai says he knows how to do it. Just… Just hear him out alright?"

"After what he did to you? Why should I?"

Gohan glared hard at his father, daring him to give a legitimate reason. But fearless as Goku always was, he simply shrugged and gave him one.

"Because the others are relying on us to. They're going to hold off the end of the world until we can go back and do something about it."

Gohan contemplated what he meant by that, gazing hard at his father as the seconds ticked by.

_That means that they've already talked with the others about this and they're all on board. Some of them have to know about Shin and they still are trusting him… Probably dad's influence no doubt. _

He breathed deeply and crossed his arms.

_Which means that if I do anything to fuck it up, I'll just be letting them down even _after _I've already died… I hate it when the others get used against me like that…_

"Fine, but whatever it is you've got planned Supreme Kai, it had better work. In case you didn't notice, even using all of my ki didn't destroy him."

Goku turned to look at Shin, as did Kibito. Shin clasped his hands behind his back and tilted his head to the side, considering the young demi with a stern expression.

"Well for one, that wasn't all of your energy. By the time you actually managed to detonate that blast, Buu had already sapped much of your life from you. But I fear that even at maximum strength it may not have been enough, and now he's getting stronger. No, what we need is a trump card, and I think it lies with you, young Saiyan."

Gohan felt genuine confusion at that. Hadn't the Supreme Kai himself just stated that his maximum wouldn't have been enough? He considered all the possibilities of what the Supreme Kai was stating, but still drew no definitive conclusions.

"It lies with me how?"

Shin smirked. That same smirk he wore upon their first encounter that irked him so.

"You, my good Saiyan Half-breed, have a tail."

**A/N: Okay so this is more of a filler chapter unfortunately. And I don't know if any of you have run into this before, but writing out intense emotions is way more difficult than it seems. I apologize if you didn't get the amount of feels that I did when I was imagining this in my head, fore I are nut too gud at articulaten wurds. If I kept going with it, by the time I got to a decent stopping point, this would be 20K words long. Anyways, I hope it wasn't too big of a letdown after the wait I forced upon you. Next chapter is when things are going to start to unfold at a much quicker pace. I'm just going to warn you all now, I've already written some of the action bits for the next chapter and I spared no horrors or gory detail (It is rated M after all, and Buu is supposed to be the ultimate terror not (as someone so delicately put it in one of my earlier reviews) a fat pink retard. **

**Another note, I don't quite have the other chapter ready to go (the one for my second fanfic), but I'm in the process of wrapping it up, So if I don't have it up tomorrow or the next day, then you can plan on seeing it this weekend! **


	31. The Feast

**Just a quick note before we all get started. If you guys didn't notice, I did post the first chapter to my second Fanfic; "Battle of the Dead", which is an offshoot story based on this one. Thanks all for the reviews! One thing I noticed I get relatively often is reviews where people state the canon power levels for all of the characters, etc... I noticed that some writers put that sort of thing in their fics, but I don't think it does anything at all for the story. I'll just say this: telling me what the power levels of my characters are is going to have absolutely zero impact on my decisions, because i'll just buff or nerf characters as I see fit. That's the point of a fanfic right? Granted, my (dumbed down) objective with this is to reach the same basic end-state as Canon, but change all the good parts. **

**Anyways, rant over. On to the story! R&amp;R and review!**

**Chapter 31: The feast**

Gohan subconsciously grasped his tail, still wrapped tightly around his waist, thinking through the implications of what the Kai had said.

"Yea? I have a tail, so what? The only thing that that grants me is the Oozaru form, and the last time I did that I was completely out of control. I'm more likely to kill everyone _but _Buu if I do that."

He glanced to his father for support, and received it in a vigorous nod and a puzzled expression. If Goku understood what the Kai was getting at, then he wasn't showing it outwardly.

"Supreme Kai, neither myself or Gohan knows how to deal with that form, that's why we had our tails removed in the first place, as well as the twins, I assume."

_At least I'm not on my own here._

"I'm well aware of what happens to a Saiyan in the Oozaru form Gohan, and I know the intense power that you gain as a result of it."

Gohan rolled his eyes and huffed irritably. Didn't this guy hear him the first time?

"Yes, yes, we know. Little Saiyan becomes big ape! Lots of smashing and destroying… Including the entire planet! I told you, that's not an option, I can't control it! Find another way!"

The Supreme Kai gave him a look that clearly said 'are you done yet?' before crossing his arms and looking up at king Yemma.

"Yemma, thank you for your assistance here. Could you go ahead and send for those that I asked for prior to my departure? Their time is upon them. We shall retreat to the Kai's planet until further notice."

The demon nodded and turned in his chair to bend down and speak to a little blue demon next to his desk. Shin and Kibito briefly greeted each other with a strange gesture akin to a bow, but with their right hand twisted strangely against the left. Gohan didn't care if they had literally kissed and made up, he and his father had simply been ignored. He gave his father an incredulous look, to which Goku only responded with a shrug and an even more puzzled expression.

"Hey! Are you ignoring me or did I miss some part of this conversation? Do you even have a legitimate plan?"

The two Kai's turned to face him, their expressions now neutral and unreadable once more. Gohan and Goku looked at eachother, and for once, Gohan recognized anger in his father's expression. It seemed even Goku had a limit on his patience when it came to being jerked around.

"Supreme Kai, you had better explain what's going on. You don't want a pair of pissed off Super Saiyans after your blood."

The deep rumble of King Yemma's voice rolled over them, and all four sets of eyes looked up to find him. He was leaning his head against his hand with an exasperated glare that looked over their heads to the entrance of the check-in station.

"And I don't want to add you to the pile of souls _waiting for you to move_!"

The four of them cringed at the harsh tone of his last words as he practically yelled them, and turned to see a tide of hazy white blobs hovering into the station. It was only now that Gohan realized that the blue demons were running about quickly, trailing papers and causing total chaos. He leaned to the side to peer out the entrance, and saw the line of souls extend out to as far as his sharp Saiyan eyes could see. The four of them abruptly stepped aside, watching in awe as they all came pouring in. Gohan furrowed his brow, rapidly guessing their numbers.

"There's got to be millions here… all at once? What the hell is going on?"

A shuffle of movement to his side indicated that the Supreme Kai was stepping closer to the demi.

"All these people are from your planet Gohan. This is the horror that is happening down there right now. This is the Legacy of Buu; a long line of souls waiting entry into the next life."

A chill rolled down Gohan's spine as he watched the souls drift by to await judgment. He felt his jaw go slack, and all of the anger he had held towards the Kai moments before seemed so petty now in light of what he was witnessing. He imagined for a moment that he was seeing faces in the puffs of smoke, and dreaded that he would recognize any of them.

"That is why we need your strength now Gohan. This situation demands the most extreme of responses. You and your father are arguably the most powerful beings in this universe, only defeated by Buu. To increase that exponentially by embracing the moonlight, you and your tail may be our only chance at victory."

Gohan breathed deeply, listening to the Kai, but running through every possibility in his head. No matter how he cut it, there was always the fear of destroying that which he wanted to protect. He closed his eyes and concentrated, clenching his fists and forcing himself to shut out all external influence. He stayed like that for mere seconds before he released his breath, and slowly opened his eyes. The line of souls were still there, but Gohan found a new sense of resolve in them, as opposed to the helplessness that threatened him before.

"Fine, Shin. I'll play your game for now, but there has to be another way. Anything at this point would be better than me unintentionally destroying the Earth."

_Or anyone I care about._

He looked towards the Kai, forcing himself to stay calm as the shorter man clapped him on the shoulder twice with a nod.

"I understand your concerns. I have something for your father and Vegeta to do as well, and you are not going to be going into this without any preparation. There will be training involved."

Gohan brushed aside the Kai's hand, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"Training? What sort of training is there? Unless… Unless you intend to show me how to control it?"

Memories flashed in his mind of a certain Saiyan prince, transformed into the great ape, fully aware of himself and laughing maniacally as he pummeled Goku before his eyes. Shin smirked and nodded.

"If it is possible to train you to do so, then we will. I see you have already seen an Oozaru in its full form, in control of itself and deadly. That is why I had Kibito replace the body you lost on earth, and why we will be going to my planet."

Gohan didn't respond, lost in thought about what all was being said and done. He wanted to end this travesty before anything worse happened. He still didn't trust Shin, but one questioning look to his father was the final answer he needed. Goku seemed as lost in thought as he was, but he nevertheless nodded and placed a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder.

"You can do this Gohan. All I ask of you is a little more patience and faith in yourself. We can beat this thing."

The words were simple encouragement, just like his father had given him in the years before Cell. It stirred a motivation in him that he hadn't felt in a very long time, awakening the long slumbering beast in his chest that wanted him to believe his father. That same part of him that told him Goku could do no wrong, and that he should want to believe him, even if all hope seemed lost. It was that same motivation that allowed him to finally destroy Cell. Gohan sighed and returned his gaze to Shin, realizing that the Kai's expression was a lot less of the confident smirk he thought he had been wearing, and more of a beggars plea.

"Fine. Let's do this. The sooner we can end this, the better."

***EARTH – WEST CITY***

Piccolo scanned the ground below him as Bulma's jet cruised over the city. As of yet, nothing seemed out of place here, but in the dark of the night, he doubted he would see anything noteworthy unless it included fire. He glanced at the bubble of ki suspended between his hands, absently looking at the little chunk of Buu that was contained within, and thought back on the spectacle that was East City as they made their travel westward.

Immediately after Goku had left with the Supreme Kai, the remaining fighters had quickly developed a plan. He, Bulma, and Yamcha were all to head back to Capsule Corporation's headquarters and conduct tests on the sample of Buu that he still held on to. The other capable fighters would move about in pairs and attempt to stop Buu in any way they could. He could faintly feel spurts of energy that belayed his position, and he was horrified to see that they were scattered all about the planet, and they were progressively getting stronger. Even the android twins were getting involved, splitting off with other fighters to try and spread their talents about.

Krillin and 18 had gone off in the direction of East city to try and halt the destruction as best they could. Tien and 17 had gone to scour the woodlands surrounding the 439 mountain area, and the many villages that pocked the landscape. When their work here was done, Piccolo and Yamcha would press towards Satan City in search of the monster. They all knew that they were merely a stalling force, but with their numbers dwindling so badly at the loss of all three of the elder Saiyans, there was not much else anyone could do. All of the children had stayed behind at the lookout with their parents, much to their displeasure. Piccolo smirked as he remembered the indignant look that Ria had given them when she was told she had to stay behind.

_Those kids really do have fire. I would have allowed them to fight, after all we need all the help we can get until Gohan and Goku come back. _If _they come back…_

He shook his head, trying to rid himself of that morbid thought, and looked back out the window to see that they had just landed in the Capsule Corp courtyard.

"Come on Piccolo, let's go before Buu finds his way here. Yamcha, keep her warm for me okay? I'm gonna need her to get back to the lookout."

Yamcha nodded, his scarred face contorted into a serious scowl as he tugged on his old gi, which he had pulled out of retirement for this occasion. Piccolo didn't wait for the Blue haired genius, and stepped off the plane as soon as the ramp was down, walking quickly towards the lab ward of the structure with long strides. Bulma ran to keep up, quickly scanning them into the building and leading them towards her labs. They turned a corner and were greeted with the sight of Dr. and Mrs. Brief sitting on the couch, anxiously watching the television and the horror it displayed.

"_Reports are still coming in of a strange group of beings of unknown origin terrorizing cities everywhere. The estimated casualty count is upwards of a hundred-million so far, with the entirety of East city being wiped out, as well as several towns scattered about the eastern mountain ranges. The description of these creatures is inconsistent, as they appear to be different in each location. Commonalities include each of them being pink in color, bipedal, and extremely fast. It is unknown at this time what these things are, but one thing is for certain, nobody is safe from them. It is currently believed that even Mr. Satan has been lost to the tide since he disappeared from the scene of the World tournament a few days ago. The king is organizing his army as best he can to quell the uprising. Until further help can be raised, please stay indoors, and barricade your homes. Do not step outside, and arm yourselves. Abov-"_

The screen cut out to static suddenly, cutting the reporter off and eliciting a startled yelp from Bulma's mother. Dr. Brief gently pulled her into a hug, patting her on the head and mumbling soft words of comfort to her. Piccolo rolled his eyes at the display of affection, and continued walking down the hallway. Bulma, having realized that she was being left behind, quickly started after the Namekian, leaving her parents in the comfort of their own company without disturbing them. They made their way into the lab, and Bulma immediately donned a lab coat, flipping a switch and turning on the vast array of machines that littered the huge room. She stepped up to a platform with a large control panel on the side, and flipped a few more switches on it.

"Here, Piccolo. Go ahead and place it over the platform, it should suspend the specimen there and hold it in place so we can test it."

Piccolo grunted in acknowledgement and stepped forward, extending his hands and the ki ball into the beam of light that rose from the platform. He released his hold on the ki, and the blob immediately began to squirm again, only to be caught in the light and held up, defying gravity. With the blob free of his control, Piccolo backed away, staring hard at it. Bulma strode to his side, crossing her arms and peering at the pink mass with her head cocked to the side, contemplating it with a critical eye.

"Now, where to begin...?"

***EAST CITY***

Android 18 glanced towards her husband nervously as they hovered over the shattered city that glowed in the blackness of night. Total, utter chaos was what had taken place here only an hour before, but now it was silent. The only thing that could be heard was the crackle of several fires burning into the darkness and the sound of car alarms ringing in the distance. Not even the wildlife that would have normally filled the air with the off-hand beat of wings or chirp of hunger was to be heard. Indeed, the city was dead. The two of them had arrived mere seconds ago to find the town empty. She may have dulled human emotions at best, but the situation brought forth the sense of dread she had not felt since Cell.

"There's nothing… I can't feel anything here… They're all gone."

They touched down, and the two of them strode down a deserted street, searching for anything to indicate that something was still alive. 18 kept her eyes wide open, searching left and right, her enhanced mind setting off alarms at every movement and peculiar noise she heard. They wandered for only a moment before Krillin sighed heavily and halted in the middle of the street, looking down at his feet. 18 halted after she realized she had left him behind, and turned to look at him over her shoulder.

"What is it Krillin?"

The short fighter didn't respond immediately, instead bending at the knees to pick up a digital camera that lay on the ground before him, inspecting it curiously. 18's curiosity peaked, and she strode over to stand next to her husband as he righted himself. He pried open the slightly melted plastic to access the screen, and inhaled sharply when the screen flashed into life. The two z fighters shared an apprehensive look before Krillin told it to go into the recent pictures. 18 watched closely as several pictures were laid out in a tile format, several of them depicting the life of an average human in the city. There were pictures of good times, friends, fascinating sights, and then a single video at the very end that appeared to be capturing a burning city. Krillin hesitated on it a moment before letting out a deep breath and pressing play. The screen turned black for a second, and then flashed into action as the captured footage was replayed.

**"**_**Holy shit… Fuck!"**_

Heavy breathing could be heard from the camera man, who appeared to be an adult male. He was running, evident in the shaking of the film. Nevertheless, there were many things that could be made out, including several burning cars and people everywhere running away from something as a mass herd, trampling anything that got in the way. Screams rang forth from the device, as well as the sound of car alarms and what appeared to be gunshots. It was total chaos on the film. Several people running in front of him were struck in the back by a beam of light, and they disappeared in a flash.

**"**_**Get me out of here!"**_

More screams rang out, and the camera turned about to see a mass of people sprinting behind them. Over their heads, a small pink thing kept bobbing in and out of them like a dolphin jumping from the ocean, but it was too pixelated for them to make out at this distance what it was. Here and there, more flashes of light appeared, and people in the crowd simply vanished.

18 furrowed her brow, staring hard at the camera. Her full attention was now on the device as she witnessed the destruction of the city. The image spun again, looking to the front to find that almost all of the crowd that had been before the cameraman was now gone. The image shook as the man tripped on something before him mid-sprint, and he tumbled to the ground. After a second, he flipped the camera around to see that he had tripped on the body of a woman, trampled under-foot by the stampede of fleeing people. Her blanked out eyes stared right through the device, and the man's legs could be seen kicking as he tried to push himself away from the body.

**"_Oh kami… No no no NO NO NO!"_**

A high pitched cackle rang out from the camera, and the image spun to see a pink blur bolt forward and intersect the body left in the street from a different direction than the one that had been following him. It seemed formless at first, until he managed to still his shaking hands and they got their first clear image of Buu. The thing was smaller than Krillin in stature, except that its upper body was extremely large in comparison to its legs, which seemed too small to support it. A head hunching directly out of the shoulders was bent low over the unfortunate woman, and a pair of razor sharp looking ivory teeth were half-way buried in the side of her chest.

**"_Wauuugh!"_**

The camera man screamed in horror and continued to try and back away from Buu. The creature's head slowly lifted from the woman, unveiling the teeth in full, now dripping with bright red blood that contrasted horribly with the pitch black eyes that seemed to be sunk into its head. There was no nose to speak of, but several holes across the top of the creatures head were contracting and dilating rapidly like the blow-hole of an aquatic mammal. Buu grinned a feral grin, and a deep growl seemed to radiate out from him as he looked on. He slowly pushed himself up on his stubby looking hands and began crawling on hands and feet over the body of the woman, staring an unblinking and hungry stare at the camera man.

**"_Oh Kami, please leave me alone!"_**

The camera dropped from the man's hand as he attempted to run for it, with the lens facing Buu. The creature wasted no time, loosing a loud bark of a laugh that stirred a very human reaction of fear from the android before bounding on all fours towards the camera. He caught it with the edge of his foot, and the device spun on the ground, throwing the image into chaos again. When it settled, the Z fighters witnessed the last moments of the man. Not only the creature that had been gnawing on the woman, but two other similar beings quickly caught up to him as he attempted to sprint away, tackling him and rolling much like a predator would with its kill. A flash of light filled the screen, and then the image froze, ending the tape on a white screen of which the faint outline of the burning city could be made out.

18 reviewed the video in her head, noting at the pace people were disappearing from the crowd without any apparent trace. It didn't make any sense to her. There were millions of people in this city and the surrounding suburbs, and it had only been about a half a day since Gohan's death. The three creatures from the footage that she concluded had to all be Buu appeared to have been able to wipe the city clean in that time. Even for her lack of emotional capacity, she felt horror deep in her gut as she mentally replayed the images in her mind. The way he moved was so unnatural, so quick, it made her want to puke.

"This is bad babe, he's moving too fast. How do we keep up with, and then stop this thing, especially when it's split up into so many pieces?"

She was about to respond when her senses kicked in, drawing her attention to somewhere off behind her and Krillin. She wasn't sure if she had heard a noise or if something just happened to set off her ki sensing, but her husband seemed not to notice it himself. Noting 18's sudden change in demeanor, he dropped the camera and set his eyes to looking around them cautiously.

"What is it? What did you see?"

His hushed voice rang out at perfectly the wrong time, covering up the faint tinkle of glass on pavement and preventing her to pinpoint its location. She furrowed her brow and darted her eyes about frantically, feeling a panic beginning to set in.

"We may not have to keep up, I think he's here."

She forced her voice to remain calm, and stood back to back with Krillin, searching the darkness for any sign of movement. A silence settled in, only being broken by the crackle of the fires around them. Even the car alarms seemed to have cut off, further plunging them into what felt like a horror film.

She sensed a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye, and turned to face it, crying out the alarm. But she wasn't quick enough. A creature, much larger than the Buu's she had seen in the video, came materializing out of the darkness with a deeper, much more animalistic roar. She barely got a look at it before it was upon them, and she was being batted aside roughly. Her eyes closed of their own accord and she felt herself crash through the side of a concrete structure, leaving her in a dazed state for a moment. Another loud roar echoed through the streets, followed by the enraged battle-cry of Krillin.

She recovered enough to push herself back out of the wall she had been embedded in, and shook her head to rid herself of the debris that had settled on her. Her eyes immediately found her target, which was currently darting about the form of her husband as he furiously tried to land a strike. She quickly sprang into action, leaping forth with a cry of her own and retracting her fist to intercept the beast with a punch. As she neared, she noticed that while larger than the other buu's on the footage, this one was still no larger than herself, though it maintained its peculiar proportions. Buu didn't seem to notice she was moving on him again, and her punch landed directly on the creature's forehead. She expected her strike to hit bone and break something crucial. On any ordinary creature, she would have just delivered a crippling, if not fatal blow. But Buu's head seemed to compress and contour to her fist, and she knew that a huge amount of her energy had just been dissipated into nothing.

It did halt him in his tracks however, and Buu went flying backwards until his body met the solid side of a brick building. Dust kicked up around him as the wall crumbled, and the two Z-fighters immediately set into dousing the entire structure with ki blasts. The two of them were at it for several seconds before Krillin leaped into the air, cupping his hands at his sides and preparing the signature attack of the turtle school.

"Kameee Hameeee HAAAAAAA!"

The blue bold shot through the hail of golden beams still being released by the android, burying itself in the red-hot rubble where Buu had disappeared and detonating. 18 shielded herself as the blinding white light carried with it several chunks of concrete and brick that struck her, riddling her clothing with holes. The wind from the explosion died out quickly, and 18 peeked out from behind her arms at the shattered remnants of the building, still glowing a bright orange color. Her icy eyes scanned the wreckage, searching for any sign of Buu. Krillin descended so that he was standing on her right side, looking into the wreckage with a firm scowl etched on his features, his breath coming in heavy.

"Damn that was intense. What was he doing? I couldn't hit him, so why was he just dancing around me?"

18 furrowed her brow, now looking about outside of the rubble for any more signs of movement.

"I don't know Krillin. What I do know is he was bigger than the ones we saw on the video. You think he might be a couple of those guys fused?"

"Yea, maybe. He did start of as hundreds of tiny blobs after all… But I don't think we're done here yet. Gohan's most intense blast didn't kill this guy, I don't know if we will be able to."

18 turned again to look behind them, scrutinizing every shaded corner she could in search of her query. As much as she would have liked to think they had just killed at least this part of Buu, she had a gut feeling her husband was right. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as a new sound echoed through the buildings, seemingly coming from everywhere. It took her a second to realize that it was a voice. One that came more as a growl, somewhat high-pitched but menacing and loaded with venom.

"You're… Stronger… Not easy… But Buu has made himself bigger… Stronger… Buu hungryyyy…. Want to eat!"

Krillin gulped next to her, his head turning every which way as he tried to identify where the voice was coming from. 18 grimaced as the voice chilled her to her very bones, eliciting emotions from her that she had long forgotten. She kept scanning the city, turning her head over her shoulder to speak to her husband.

"Krillin, I think he _did _fuse. Shit, if we had Goku or Gohan we could stay and fight this out, but we don't. We need to get out of here. We need to get out of here now."

Before he could even answer, the voice let forth a raspy laugh, very unlike the high pitched cackle that they had heard in the video.

"Heh heh heh heeeehhhh… you won't leave… Buu still needs to eat… And you look tasty… Will fight later for fun!"

Krillin nudged her in the side, catching her attention and the two of them shared a silent conversation in which they both agreed on a plan of action; Run. If Buu hadn't fused, they might have stood a chance against one piece of him. But Even this vastly incomplete Buu seemed to have the advantage against the two of them combined.

_But how do we get away without him following?_

Their brief amount of time to figure out a way was brutally interrupted when the upper half of the building they were standing next to exploded outwards, and rubble began to fall on top of them. There wasn't nearly enough there for either of the seasoned warriors to be severely injured, or even hit, but the two of them bolted in different directions to avoid it. 18 thought for a moment she could hear that same raspy laugh over the roar of the falling structure, but had no time to stop and listen as she dodged the worst of the damage. She took to the air, still trying to sense out their assailant, and turned quickly in the air to gaze back into the cloud of dust sent skyward.

After a few seconds of searching for her query, she felt a jolt of panic. In her bid to find Buu, she hadn't noticed that she still hadn't seen Krillin. Her eyes shot wide open and scanned the wreckage, as well as the sky above it, but the short fighter was nowhere to be found. She gritted her teeth and used her senses to try and find him, but couldn't immediately locate his ki. Left with no alternative, she did the only thing she could think of.

"Krillin! Where are you?!"

She was surprised to hear the amount of panic that edged her voice, echoing off of the buildings around her and bouncing back. Silence was ushered in as her cry rang itself out in the air, and the sinking in her stomach threatened to drag her down to tears. Unwilling to give up yet, she shot towards the wreckage, scanning everywhere she could, her senses wide open to the point that she could pinpoint every person on the planet to within five feet. There was so much coming in, but she was focused on finding one specific ki that she couldn't see any of the others. In her overly-focused state, she passed directly over a pile of rubble that shifted ever so slightly in her peripherals before bursting outwards in a shower of dust and rock. She didn't react quickly enough, and before she knew what was happening she was slammed into by Buu at such a velocity that they plowed clean through five buildings before falling ungracefully to the ground. She struggled against the iron grip of the creature, which was difficult considering that its form kept shifting and moving unnaturally like play dough. Despite her difficulties, she managed to land kicks into Buu's stomach repeatedly, but to no avail. He simply absorbed the kicks, clawing at her with nails and teeth that seemed to harden straight out of the pink fleshy material.

"Get off of me you SHIT!"

As she let loose her enraged yell, she exposed the underside of her chin, and Buu lunged towards it in the midst of their struggle. 18's eye's snapped open wide, and her mouth parted slightly as its teeth found their mark, and a triumphant growl emanated from its chest. Pain shot outwards from where the razor sharp teeth punctured her tough skin on both sides of her neck, and she instantly knew that he had just landed a killing blow. Augmented as she was, she still bled like a normal human, and was still vulnerable to the weaknesses of her species. She could feel blood beginning to trickle down the front of her chest, and she felt the urge to scream, though none came forth. Her limbs were unresponsive, partly due to the fact that she was still being firmly held by Buu. A flurry of motion caught her attention elsewhere, and she felt a jolt of happiness as her husband made his presence known. She attempted to call to him, to make sure he was alright, but only managed to gurgle, shocking herself as much as she could see it did to Krillin.

His eyes were wide and fearful as he rushed towards her, watching her fight a losing battle with her opponent. She saw in his eyes the same knowledge that she had already come to terms with. These were her last moments.

_What will I do with them?_

Suddenly filled with a passion she hadn't felt in a long time, she signaled to Krillin silently to prepare himself, and dug into her reserves of willpower and strength. She reached around behind Buu's head and grabbed the antennae that dangled between his eyes, jerking it back and taking his head with it. She felt the teeth still buried in her neck dig and pull, but she ignored the pain. She pulled until his head was away from her completely, with bits of her flesh and blood still dripping from his maw. He lunged at her again to try and regain his hold, but she cut him off by shoving her fist down his gullet before his teeth could latch on again. His eyes grew wide as he realized what she was doing, and with a final strain of effort, she sent the most powerful blast she could manage out from her palm within the beast.

He expanded, glowing hot pink, then white before an enormous golden wave of energy burst skyward from where his lower half had been seconds before. A pained scream could barely be heard from the creature as particle by particle he was reduced to nothing. Before he could be destroyed totally, her reserves of energy dwindled and died. 18 allowed herself a moment to admire her work before she began to fall backwards in a faint, with the uppermost part of Buu still hanging off of her arm, limp and misshapen.

Krillin immediately rushed the final distance to his wife's side, and with a roar, flung the remnants of Buu from her. With the creature out of the way, he quickly clamped down on her neck, furiously attempting to stop the bleeding, only to find that it was no longer flowing. His already short breath caught in his throat as he looked at his hands, now painted red. His gaze switched from them to his wife's wide-eyed expression and back several times. His lip began to quiver slightly, and tears began to well up in the corners of his eyes. He grasped at the front of her shirt, burying his face in it and letting his agony come forth. His pained cries rang out for only a few seconds before quickly changing into a guttural roar. He shot up, tears still flowing from his eyes and mixing with the blood that streaked his face, and spun about, searching for Buu with murder in his eyes.

"YOU BASTARD! WHERE ARE YOU?! SHOW YOURSELF!"

His eyes immediately found the location where he had flung Buu's remains, only to find that they had disappeared. He stared at the spot for a few moments before he remembered his first interaction with Buu, and realized that he must have reformed himself and fled, knowing that he had already lost too much to the two Z-fighters.

"COWARD! COME BACK AND FIGHT ME! YOU'RE DEAD! YOU HEAR ME?! DEAD!"

***439 MOUNTAIN AREA***

Tien growled in the back of his throat, his frustration bleeding through. They had been combing the forest for an hour already, coming across four villages in that time, and they had found nothing. There wasn't a person to be found, and not even the creatures that normally made the forest radiate with life were anywhere to be seen. Most importantly, there was no sign of Buu except for the painful silence left in his wake. Android 17 nonchalantly scanned the forest beside him as they flew over, his face an impassive mask as normal. But despite his outward appearances, Tien knew that there was a lot going on in the android's skull, and he wasn't missing any details from below.

"Hey 17! Do you see anything?"

The android raised his icy glare to meet the triclops' briefly before returning it to the forest below, his expression unchanging.

"No. There's nothing out here. We are coming up on the location of Lime's home. I can't sense anything there either."

Tien refocused his attention ahead of him, where he could now make out a clearing in the forest in the distance. He'd never actually been to this place, having only really been to the 439 Area for the Son home, but he knew Lime well enough that his chest began to tighten with fear. He knew that this was where her family lived still, including her Grandfather, who was a former martial arts master himself. Though Lime had moved out to West city to accompany Gohan through high school, he knew that the girl was still quite attached to those she had left behind. The fact that he and 17 could not sense anything coming from the town or the surrounding area left him with a feeling of dread at what they would find, or rather what they wouldn't.

He pushed the unwanted feelings down and continued on his way towards the village, hoping that he would find something here besides silence. They pulled closer and closer until they were skirting the rooftops of the village, and Tien's fears were confirmed. Chazke Village was a ghost town. The slight breeze blowing through the forest kicked up an array of garbage abandoned in the street, creating the only noise that could be heard. Every way Tien looked, there were signs of struggle. No building was left undamaged, and several were destroyed completely. Deep rents in the ground that radiated with a faint energy showed something that Tien and 17 had confirmed in the last town, which was that Buu was capable of using ki blasts. Despite this, he was just as elusive as the androids had been.

"Dammit! How many more towns are we going to find like this? Why can't we track this son of a bitch down?"

Tien knelt at the edge of one of the blast craters and gently ran a hand over the glassed dirt surrounding the scar. 17 calmly strode up the street, looking in shattered windows and doors left open or completely removed from their hinges. He turned and walked directly into one building that was labeled "Lao's General Store", and Tien turned his attention towards him. He saw the name over the door and a pang of recognition shook him from his contemplative state. He stood and followed after the android, pausing at the entrance to examine what appeared to be claw marks on the door-frame. He slowly made his way inside and inspected the home and livelihood of Lime's Grandfather. There was a rifle immediately inside the doorway, which Tien bent down to inspect. He pulled the bolt open, and it ejected an empty shell.

_Well… at least they tried to put up a fight._

He glanced around, and quickly found the neat hole in the wall and torn wallpaper that belayed the bullet's trajectory. The android was in the room adjacent to Tien, and whistled sharply to get his attention. Tien's senses perked up, and he rushed into the room to find the Android kneeling over a section of blood-stained floor, gently prodding small chunks of something that almost looked like bread crumbs. Tien raised an eyebrow and cast his eyes about once more, noting how the blood on the floor streaked into the room from the one he had just been in.

"What is it 17?"

The android didn't raise his eyes to the triclops, instead he gingerly picked up one of the crumbs and held it to eye level, turning it to get a good look at all of the angles.

"I think I just made a discovery which would explain where everyone has gone."

Tien raised an eyebrow, his curiosity getting the better of him despite the morbid nature of the conversation. He leaned in to take a closer look at the chunk of whatever it was the android was inspecting, and became even more confused.

"Dog food?"

Android 17 quirked an eyebrow at him and held out the chunk towards him for closer inspection.

"I suppose I can understand the confusion, it does look a bit like that dried out garbage you humans feed to your pets, but look closer. What does that look like to you?"

He dropped the thing in Tien's outstretched palm, and Tien rolled it about between his fingers, trying to understand what it was he was looking at. There were grooves in it that he would have originally dismissed as teeth marks… But they were too symmetrical. Besides that peculiar fact, nothing really stuck out at him as out of the ordinary. He raised his quizzical glare to the android, wondering what it was he was getting it.

"A hand perhaps?"

Tien blinked a couple times as he processed the question, and returned his glare to the object, inspecting it again. Sure enough, the grooves he noticed earlier perfectly outlined the shape of a hand with individual fingers balled into a fist. The jagged edge that would have led up to the rest of the arm was the only thing that made it seem misshapen.

"That's not the only thing I noticed. Whatever that thing is made of is incredibly tough. I couldn't break it apart with my grip. And it's dense. Very dense."

Tien tried to piece together what all of these implications meant, never taking his eyes from the object. Sure it looked like a hand, and after clamping his fingers down on it, he realized that the Android had spoken true about how hard the material was. But he still had no clue what it meant. He shook his head and silently questioned the Android for his opinion with a shrug. 17 stroked his chin thoughtfully before crossing his arms and straightening himself out.

"I've been thinking since that Kai told us he thinks Buu is feeding. Small as he is split into multiple pieces, eating individual people one at a time seems impossible, even if he is capable of changing his shape like they said. He has to have a way to feed quickly, and I think this has to be it. I could be wrong, but I think Buu has the ability to change people into… Well… This. Whatever you want to call it. I'm going to go with people-nuggets."

"You've got to be kidding me…"

Tien ran it all over in his mind rapidly, dropping the minuscule hand and wiping his hand on his gi bottoms as if he had touched something contagious. Sure it made a certain kind of sense that Buu would possess some sort of ability like that. He hadn't seen the being personally, but he guessed that currently it couldn't be any bigger than a normal human. The sheer number of people that went missing had to have gone somewhere, and Tien doubted that Buu would have the time or the capacity to eat so many people whole. But the thought that they were simply being changed into smaller, easier to eat things was difficult to swallow. Did it kill them when it happened? Were they still aware?

His internal musings were interrupted when 17 gasped, his eyes wide as saucers staring into nothing in particular. Tien spun on the spot, preparing himself for the worst, but found nothing behind him. He growled in frustration, wiping a nervous sweat from his brow.

"Come on 17, that wasn't funny."

He half turned to glower at the android, and was surprised to see his expression hadn't changed. He continued to stare off into space like he had just seen a ghost.

"Uhh… 17? What is it?"

The android's hands clenched at his sides, and without a single word to the other Z-fighter, he took off through the open window, bolting away in the direction of the lookout. Tien hesitated a moment, staring after the Android in complete bewilderment before shaking his head and taking off after him. Within seconds, he lost sight of the Android as he darted away- faster than Tien could keep up. He reached out with his senses to hopefully see whatever it was that had spooked his friend, but to no avail, and Tien was forcefully reminded that even as powerful as he was, no normal human could keep up with either of the Android twins. Resigning himself to being left behind, he gritted his teeth and pushed himself on, back in the direction of the Lookout and the rest of the Z gang while contemplating what had happened to Android 17.

He traveled for barely more than ten minutes before the platform could be seen above blotting out the starlit sky from above, still seeing or hearing no sign of the Android. He completed the journey, landing lightly on the lookout's edge and scanning about. It was no surprise to him that the platform was empty at this time of night. Surely the kids were all asleep, and asides from the fighters and Bulma, there was nothing for any of them to do besides wait. While he had hoped that 17 had come straight back to the platform, he wasn't too surprised by his absence. There was no telling where he had gone off to, and Tien had no way to track him besides sight.

"Damned fool, where the hell did he run off to like that?"

His frustrated growl seemed to flip a switch in his head, like hearing his own voice had brought him back to reality, and he halted in his tracks. Realizing that dwelling on the Android would do nothing, he slowly settled himself into a seated position, closing his eyes and focusing on controlling his breathing. Now was not the time for panic. He needed to get a bigger picture. He needed to see what was happening. As he extended his senses out, he began seeing in an almost 3D image in his mind of where everyone was. In the immediate vicinity were all of the Z-gang, minus those who had gone down to the planet below. Off to the east looked like a black hole. Not even the plethora of wildlife made itself known to him, but there right in the middle of it all was a single beacon of light.

_Krillin. Which means Android 18 is with him. I still can't see Buu though. That slippery bastard is good… I wonder if I can feel anything back where we were?_

Quickly scanning about in his mind, he guessed where the location of the 439 mountain area was, and felt a jolt of realization. It was directly opposite of East city from the lookout. If Tien had to guess, his companion had just run off not to the lookout, but to East city, and the Chestnuts.

_If Android 17 is rushing off to East city, then that means something is going on with those two! _

As if silently answering his question, Krillin's ki began moving towards them rapidly, and it was fluctuating wildly. He knew his friend's ki well enough to know when something was seriously wrong, and it hadn't gone this crazy since the time when Cell had consumed Android 18. Refusing to draw conclusions, he stood and began pacing, casting his gaze towards the Lookout buildings. He considered for a moment going in to wake his wife and any of the others, but thought better of it. If he was wrong, then he would be waking them for nothing, and they all had enough problems to deal with right now without adding sleep deprivation to the list.

So he waited. It seemed to drag on for hours, waiting for the short fighter to reach the platform. In that time he managed to cast his senses out once more, pinpointing Bulma, Piccolo and Yamcha over in west City, which seemed to be still full of life for now. He even managed to gain a better picture of the current situation, guessing that close to a third of the continent had so far been wiped out, with more and more growing black every second. The most infuriating part though, was his inability to find Buu. He thought for a moment that perhaps Buu was like the Androids, and couldn't be felt. But then he remembered when Gohan had sacrificed himself, realizing the ridiculous power that the creature held within by the horrible ki it was projecting. No, whatever Buu was, he definitely had Ki. But he was so good at hiding it, he doubted whether or not he could find him even if he was the creature's creator. He kept thinking about all of the information being brought through his mind. Buu's eating habits were still a puzzle to him, and now with this… He had a lot to consider.

A sudden flurry of motion caught his attention, breaking him out of his contemplative state and back into reality. He quickly rushed towards the area of the platform where he could see 17 landing, his back turned to him. Then came Krillin, with a very limp looking Android 18 cradled in his blood-stained arms. Tien felt his hope fading into nothing and bringing forth a sinking feeling in his stomach as he got closer and closer to the trio. Krillin dropped to his rear, still cradling his wife's form and rocking himself back and forth gently. Tien knew before he got there that what he would see was going to be horrible, but nothing quite prepared him for the state she was in.

She was covered in teeth and claw marks, marring her normally flawless skin and reducing her clothes to shreds of blood-soaked rags. Her blanked out eyes stared into nothing somewhere above Tien's head, and her slightly parted lips belayed no signs of breath. Her neck was ripped to shreds all the way from the base of her jaw to her sharply defined collar bones, exposing all of her major blood-vessels to the outside world. Bile rose in his throat as he stared at her, his mind slowly beginning to process what it was he was looking at. While he had seen some truly horrific things in his life, none more horrible as what had been done to Gohan by Cell, there was something about seeing this beautiful woman who was so much more powerful than he brought down in such a fashion. She hadn't just been killed, she had been mauled. One of the world's most powerful fighters had been mauled like an animal brought to a Tiger's pit for entertainment and sport.

It sickened him. As his mind recovered slowly, he remembered that his friend was still there, cradling her and sobbing gently into her mussed up hair. A wave of sympathy racked his heart for the short man, and Tien knelt before him, gently reaching forth and closing the Android's eyes. He locked eyes with Krillin as the shorter man's raised to look at him, and Tien planted a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Krillin my friend… I'm so sorry. This isn't over, we _will_ get revenge for this."

"You're damned right we will!"

The higher pitched voice pierced the night from off to their side, and the both of them turned their eyes to the other Android as he rounded on them. His eyes were wild, and his teeth were bared. It was a far cry from his usual apathetic expression, and Tien had only seen it once before. The last time he had worn it was when Piccolo and he had gotten into it, just before Cell's arrival. To see such an expression on his face spoke volumes for the amount of anguish and rage the Android must have been feeling.

"That son of a bitch is going to burn! _Nobody_ gets to do this to my sister and get away with it! I don't care if I get killed in the process, I will make sure that he pays for this!"

Krillin shook his head, sniffing back some of the tears that continued to roll down his blood-smeared cheeks.

"No, we can't be killing ourselves off like that 17. We have to do this right, or we will all be picked off one by one."

"Krillin that's my _sister_! THAT'S YOUR FUCKING WIFE! SHE'S DEAD! SHE'S DEAD AND WE KNOW WHO DID IT!"

Krillin swallowed, and returned his eyes to 18's face, visibly fighting with his emotions.

"I know bro, but we all knew this was a risk. We shouldn't have gone out so quickly, we should have waited 'til daylight. We need to be smart, play to our strengths. We have to hold this off until we can get some help from Goku or Gohan. I want more than anyone to bring her back. I want my revenge. I want our daughter's revenge. But getting myself and everyone else killed is going to do nobody any good. You're under no oath to listen to me, but I need your help now. Without 18, we're at an even bigger disadvantage."

17 crossed his arms defiantly, but didn't respond, instead just glaring hard at his sister. Tien suddenly remembered where Bulma and the others were at that moment, and gave a reassuring squeeze to Krillin's shoulder, carefully avoiding looking at the blonde in his arms.

"Well, we shall see soon if we can do something about that. Bulma, Yamcha, and Piccolo are searching for any weaknesses we can exploit. If anyone can do it, then it's Bulma… We'll beat this. We have to."

***CAPSULE CORP LAB***

"I don't know what else to test on this thing. I've literally thrown everything I can at it, the only thing that seems to work is heat… A _lot _of heat."

Bulma planted her elbows firmly on the edge of the stasis machine where the blob of pink was still floating, staring at the platform below it without seeing. Bags beneath her eyes spoke to the exhaustion the woman was feeling, and her slightly ruffled hair showed where she had unintentionally pulled on it in frustration. Piccolo stood off to the side, unmoved from his original position as he watched her work. She was efficient, of that there was no doubt. But for once, she seemed to have been stumped. Piccolo had never seen her so worked up about anything in the years he'd known her, and he was surprised to find himself worrying about her.

_I'm getting too soft…_

"He doesn't like heat? How hot are we talking here?"

She waved a hand at him absently, shaking her head and clenching her eyes shut as she thought.

"Too hot for us to reliably create here without setting the atmosphere on fire. Localized heat like your guys' ki blasts do the job, but we've seen how inefficient that is already huh? The size of the blast required to completely destroy him would have to be utterly ridiculous. The other possibility is we somehow convince him to fly into the sun."

"Hmm… Too bad I'm not a very persuasive personality."

Bulma glowered at him, leaning back in her chair and staring up at the ceiling.

"Not the greatest time to get a sense of humor Piccolo… Fuck I need a cigarette."

Piccolo sighed heavily and strode over to join her at the edge of the machine, staring at the pink blob intently and thinking about their situation in his mind.

"You did all you could Bulma, we've got everything we're going to get out of this… We just need to make a strategy to deal with this guy, and you've already shown us that brute force won't do anything. We can work with this, at least until we get more support."

"Yea… I just hope it's enough Piccolo. I get the feeling things are just going to go downhill from here, no matter what we do."

They sat in a heavy silence for a while, both of them lost in thought. Bulma broke the silence a few moments later by chuckling, bringing Piccolo out of his state to stare curiously at her. She was looking at him out of the corner of her eyes with an amused smirk decorating her features and her head planted on one hand.

"You know Piccolo, I kinda miss the days when you were the bad guy… Not that we don't enjoy having you on our side, but you at least were only interested in taking over the world, not eradicating the universe. Put a little less pressure on us all, you know…?"

Piccolo snorted at that, allowing a slight smirk to pull the corner of his mouth up. He rapidly ran over his history with the Z-fighters, remembering that first fight with Goku in the ring of the tournament. He'd come a long way since then, but he somewhat agreed with Bulma. Things back then were simpler. There were no Saiyans, there were no Tyrants trying to take over the universe, and there were certainly no all-powerful beings trying to destroy all life as we know it. Their squabbles back in those days seemed so petty now.

Bulma sighed heavily, standing and removing her lab coat.

"Well, we need to go back now. We've dwindled here long enough. Take care of that thing would you? I'm going to go get my parents… They can't stay here."

She strode from the room quickly, leaving Piccolo to stare after her a moment before returning his attention to the little blob. He sniffed and held a hand up towards it, glaring at it between his fingers. He continued to stare at it, thinking hard about their next step before unleashing his ki in a narrow beam of light that struck the mass, disintegrating it. As the little black particles of charred Buu floated away on the air, Piccolo felt a morbid sense of satisfaction.

_We only need to hold out for a little while. Just a little while longer… Then you will feel the wrath of Earth's greatest._

***KAI'S PLANET***

Gohan let out the breath he had been holding as Kibito's preferred mode of transportation spat them all out on the surface of a very earth-like planet. While similar to the Instant transmission technique his father used, Kibito's version was not so pleasant for those traveling that way. He quelled the stirring of his stomach by taking a couple deep breaths and looking about. They were surrounded by a mild mountain range dotted with pockets of forest with blue foliage. The sky was a pleasant blue color reminiscent of his own worlds, and the air felt thicker here. His breath came easier, and his senses felt sharper. He admitted inwardly that he thought this planet could give his own a run for its money in terms of beauty. His admiration was short-lived as a loud crack was heard off to his right, and he turned to find Kibito had disappeared again, leaving the two Saiyans behind with the Supreme Kai.

"Where did he go?"

Shin clasped his hands behind his back, looking up serenely at the sky.

"Kibito returned to the check-in station to await your instructors, as well as Vegeta."

Gohan quirked an eyebrow at that, but his father posed the question that immediately rose to the front of his mind.

"Vegeta? Where was he? Why didn't he join us earlier?"

Shin hesitated, looking thoughtfully at the two of them before responding.

"He was in hell actually. Before you try and figure out why he went there, he chose to do so on his own accord. That brief moment where Kibito and I were quote-unquote 'ignoring' you was when I learned of all of this. He didn't want to go with the others to other-world, instead taking the opportunity to go to the other Saiyans. As for what he did down there? I couldn't tell you."

Gohan nodded his understanding, musing that the Prince more than likely went there to beat up on a few old friends' of theirs.

"But in the mean-time, I have another task that I think you may be able to accomplish. I still believe that it will be necessary to use the Oozaru form, however in the event that I am wrong, I want you to have as much of an advantage as possible."

Gohan was slightly surprised by that statement, and looked the Kai over with a critical eye. He couldn't possibly be saying that he might yield to Gohan's judgment could he? He dismissed the thought, and gestured for the Supreme Kai to continue. Shin nodded and turned, taking to the air and surprising both Gohan and Goku. The two of them shared a puzzled glance before taking off after him over the range of mountains. They weren't at it for long before Shin began his descent and dropped lightly onto a plateau that stood apart from all the other peaks. Buried in the center of it was what looked like a massive two-handed sword.

_Oh you've got to be kidding me… What am I? King fucking Arthur?_

"Hardly. From what I know, Excalibur was merely a sword, nothing more."

Gohan rolled his eyes as he touched down, once more feeling irritation at the Kai's ability to see into his mind. Shin calmly strode over to stand next to the sword, brushing the grip with his fingers before casting his gaze upon the Demi.

"This is the Z-Sword Gohan. And ancient weapon of the Kai's that has been here for many generations of Kai's. Millions of years for your kind. Much has been lost since the sword was last wielded by a Kai, and none since have possessed the strength to carry its massive weight. The sword itself has legendary qualities. It's believed to be unbreakable, and will never have a need to be sharpened. Through it, the wielder will possess a power beyond their own. Or so it is rumored."

Gohan gazed at him through half-lidded eyes, heartily disbelieving everything the Kai was telling him. He glanced at his father as the Kai finished and groaned slightly at the look of awe and wonder on his face. Upon seeing his son's expression however, he smiled apologetically, scratching at the back of his neck. Shin caught on quicker and sighed, crossing his arms.

"You don't have to believe me Gohan, but please just humor me here. For all I know, you may not even be able to pull the sword out at all."

Gohan's disbelief immediately switched to outrage at the insinuation, and he cleared his throat irritably. He didn't notice the Kai's slight smile as he grumbled under his breath and stepped up to the sword, grasping the hilt firmly and preparing to lift.

"Ah, I think that you'll need to be super for this. After all, none of the Kai's for several generations could remove it."

Gohan rolled his eyes but conceded his point, glancing towards his father to see him bubbling over with excitement. With a sigh, he powered up to super, and then effortlessly spiked his ki all the way to the second transformation, just to be safe. He crouched low, getting his hands below the guard and grasping onto the false edge at the base of the blade. He locked his arms in place and pushed off hard from the ground with his legs, and immediately was halted by the blade as it refused to give. Realizing that the Kai hadn't been exaggerating when he stated the blade was stuck, he tapped into even more of his ki, pushing harder and lifting with his arms at the same time. For a moment nothing happened, then the blade shifted sharply. With the grating sound of metal on stone, the sword came free of the rock. Gohan grasped the pommel and attempted to gain control of the weapon as it seemingly floated up under the force he had just exerted on it. As gravity took hold however, it began to fall. Gohan confidently grasped onto the grip, allowing a smirk to dance on his face at the dumbfounded expression on the Supreme Kai's. As the weight of the sword fell fully under his control, he realized that it was far heavier than he had originally imagined. As a result of his over-extension, he promptly fell face first on top of the flat of the blade, giving a startled yelp and earning a muffled snicker from his father.

"Oh shut up…"

**A/N: Ending on a light note this time, which is something I haven't done in a while. I actually wanted to put a whole lot more into this one, but by the time I got to this point it was already almost 11K words long, and if I had kept going I probably wouldn't have stopped for a while. But anyways, there it is. Next one is already in the works, as well as the second chapter for my other Fic. Stop by there to check it out if you haven't already! As always, have a fantastic day.**


	32. The Show Must Go On

**Howdy folks! Back again at last and boy does it feel good! Sorta. I'm with Superfly on this one, it seems a bit odd to me that the last chapter didn't get it's usual dose of reviews. I'm not upset by it, but I am slightly puzzled. Server error? Bad timing on my part? Bad chapter on my part? I couldn't say with certainty what caused it, but I hope that this one makes up for it! There are a couple of references in here, and I would like to make a shout-out to Team Four Star on Youtube. If you haven't watched their stuff (Namely DBZ Abridged), then I would highly recommend it! Keep your eyes out for them, and enjoy!**

**Chapter 32: The Show Must Go On**

Gohan righted himself, planting his feet and hefting the Z-sword. The tip of the blade came free of the ground with a metallic ring, and he held it before himself, feeling out the weight and balancing himself. It was incredible, how heavy the two handed sword was. But heavy as it was, it wasn't so cumbersome that it was useless to him. He breathed deep and let himself fall out of Super Saiyan entirely, immediately having to catching himself as he felt his lesser strength begin to falter to the blade.

"Damn, you weren't kidding about how heavy this thing is. But…"

He stood up straight, giving the sword an experimental twirl to the side, and was surprised to find that it didn't throw him off balance as much as he had been anticipating. As it came back up to straight he examined the blade again. It was a marvel of craftsmanship, perfectly balanced, and it seemed to have been designed with him in mind. It was a perfect fit for his hands. He felt a smile come to his lips unbidden as he gazed at it.

"I think I like it."

"Good, I want you to learn to use that sword like an extension of your own body. You've used a sword before, yes?"

Gohan let the tip fall until it was once again pressed into the ground, and leaned against the hilt, casting his gaze upon the Kai, who was watching him apprehensively. He nodded once, reminiscing to the times training with Piccolo out in the wastelands. The Namekian had given him a sword on his first night alone. It was nothing compared to the one he now was wielding, but it had been perfect for him at the time. He had stopped carrying it towards the end of their training, having gotten fed up with carrying it around and it being in the way. It had only really been useful for hunting really anyways.

"But this one is different. Besides the obvious, this one is an actual tool of combat. We don't have time to teach me how to master it on top of mastering the Oozaru thing… Maybe if it weren't so damn heavy, I'd be able pick up where I left off."

The Kai clasped his hands behind his back, tilting his head to the side and narrowing his eyes at the demi.

"Oh, I think you would be surprised at how quickly you can adapt. You already bear the strength to carry it, and with the body you've been granted, you can recover as quickly as ever. Saiyans are resilient, but a Saiyan-Human hybrid seems to be a potent mix."

Gohan grunted and rolled his eyes towards his father, who just stood to the side watching the exchange with a small smile. Gohan recognized the praise that the Kai was giving him, but was unwilling to accept, or even acknowledge it. His home was in danger and needed him, now was not the time for small talk and flattery.

"Yea, we still don't have very much time. Every minute I take up here means more people that are going to die."

The Kai seemed to sober up slightly at that, his expression becoming more solemn. He nodded and furrowed his brow, sighing before he spoke again in a tone that was laden with sorrow.

"I understand your concern, but this might be our only chance. We may have to take as much time as is necessary to win. We must defeat Buu, or it won't just be your planet. I'm sorry - to the both of you - but we have to consider the Earth as a buffer between him and the rest of the Universe. While he is focused there, we can gain the upper hand. If I'm right in my assumption about him feeding, then it is going to take him time to take his fill; Time which we must use to our advantage…"

He trailed off, and Gohan didn't need the heavy silence that followed his words to feel sickened by the implication.

_Time in which people will die, possibly those I love._

The anger that flashed in his chest came with no warning, and he wanted to refute the Kai's claim with his fist. How could he just suggest that they let the Earth suffer while he sit around in this paradise, training? What kind of man would that make him?

"Unacceptable! They need our help down there! Dammit Kai, I can't just sit around up here while the people I love are being killed and Eaten! What if Buu gets too strong? What if he consumes enough that I can't beat him no matter what? What then? We can't give him too much time!"

Gohan fought to keep his cool, spinning on his heel and beginning a pacing pattern, scratching at the back of his neck and staring at the ground.

"We won't be sitting around, but we need to use all the time we can get to train! Even if it means the destruction of the Earth, it will be worth it in the end when Buu is defeated!"

He spun around, pointing an accusatory finger at the Kai, who blanched slightly.

"BULL SHIT! My home is not some pawn in your game, I am not willing to sacrifice it and it's people because I'm taking my time up here. I agreed that you could help me train, hell I need it. But that doesn't give us the excuse to just let him have his way with my people! Even if he gets defeated, even if everyone is revived later, they will still have to live with that experience! I can't let that happen! I can't let them all suffer the same way I have!"

"Gohan, this isn't about your world! This is about the entire universe!"

Gohan was about to retort when his father stepped between the two of them, facing Shin.

"Look Supreme Kai, Gohan is right about this. I know you're a god and all, but the longer we wait, the stronger Buu gets. If we can take him down quickly, then the Earth won't need to be sacrificed. He's got the sword, and you said that you have something for Vegeta and I? I bet that between the three of us, we can beat him!"

Shin crossed his arms and glowered at the two of them, his anxiety evident in the sweat that dotted his brow. For several seconds he just looked at the two of them, his expression betraying the war he was having within himself. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and nodded.

"Fine. We will go back as soon as you and Vegeta are prepared, but I still think that we're going to be cutting things too short. I just hope that you're right."

Gohan grunted in acknowledgement and went to retrieve the sword, giving his father a thankful glance before pulling it up and setting it across his shoulder. He turned to the Kai, planting a fist on his hip.

"Alright Kai, let's get this going before it becomes too late. Show me how to use this thing."

Shin looked like he was about to protest, but Gohan cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"And before you go on saying I need to learn the Oozaru form, I would rather stake my odds on this. If it gets to the point where I have to use that, then everyone else had better be dead. I won't use it unless it is absolutely no other way."

Shin sighed exasperatedly and clasped his hands behind his back again.

"Actually Gohan, I was going to say that I don't really have a way to teach you how to use the Oozaru transformation here. We don't have a moon…"

Gohan glanced towards the sky, noting that there was indeed no moon in the sky, much less a full one to trigger the transformation.

"So… How exactly were you going to teach me how to use it then?"

"I wasn't. Remember the people I summoned to train you? The ones that Kibito went to retrieve for me?"

Gohan tilted his head to the side, racking his memory for anything that could make sense of what he was saying. He was reminded of Vegeta's first visit to Earth, and the time he had transformed using an artificial moon the prince had created.

"So a Saiyan?"

Shin nodded the affirmative, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Indeed. And when you see who… Well, I think you'll be surprised. He's been keeping an eye on you for some time now."

Gohan rolled his eyes and sighed.

_Great, another person butting in on my life? I swear if it's my Uncle I'm going to kill them both with this sword… If they can be killed... Can you kill a dead man?_

"Yea whatever, can we just get on with this?"

Shin hesitated a moment, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek, which he promptly wiped away with the back of his hand.

"Right… Of course… Actually… About that…"

Gohan growled and dragged his free hand down his face, gazing skyward for a reason to stay calm.

"Let me guess… You don't know how to use it?"

Shin halted his words before he spoke them, leaving him in a comical state with his mouth hanging open and a finger held up as if he were about to explain something. He abruptly shut it and sighed.

"Well, not really. But I don't think you'll need my help. After all it's an extension of your own body right? And you've already learned how to use a sword? My suggestion is to train as you would normally, just with the sword added into it. Your body should adapt quickly to the changes."

Gohan quirked an eyebrow at the Kai, grasping the hilt with both hands and raising it to the ready with a grunt.

"You know, I usually train with a sparring partner… You volunteering?"

He let the threat hang in the air for a moment, and applauded himself in his mind as the Kai's already pale purple expression turned nearly white; his eyes widening to the point that Gohan thought they would pop out. He couldn't help the smirk that emerged on his lips.

"Didn't think so… Fine, I'll see what I can do with this thing."

The Kai let out a sigh of relief, some of the color returning to his cheeks. As Gohan began swinging the sword experimentally, Goku stood a good distance away, scratching at the back of his neck and chuckling nervously as he watched their exchange.

***THE LOOKOUT***

"This just keeps getting worse and worse … First Vegeta, then Go… Gohan… now 18? We're losing people too quickly."

Videl crossed her arms, driving her mind away from Gohan and her grief as best she could. It was morning, with the sun just breaking the horizon to the East, casting an orange glow upon the cold lookout and flooding the interior with a hazy light. Everyone had come back during the night after word had spread about 18's fate. The only people missing were Bulma's parents, who had refused to return on the grounds that their many pets still needed someone to take care of them. Not that Videl could blame them, it all seemed so hopeless now. She would have given up all hope herself if it weren't for the mystery voice that had come to her while she was unconscious. She still didn't understand, hell she didn't even know if it had been real at all. But that, combined with the words Goku had spoken before he left, was the last thread of hope she retained. But still…

"We shouldn't have split up like that. If we'd waited, or if we had stuck together, then 18 would still be alive."

Krillin's voice was laden with hurt and sorrow that she understood all too well. She may not have been a close personal friend with the Android, but her death had struck her hard as well. More than anything, it had broken her heart when little Marron had been told. The little girl was still sobbing her eyes out, begging for her mother, which then resulted in her being taken away by Erasa to try and console her until they could decide what to do. Piccolo seemed to be the only voice of reason in these bleak times. Even the usually stoic Android 17 seemed to be off his game. He hadn't spoken a word since he had arrived, and was standing in the doorway, leaning on the frame with his eyes hidden by his black hair.

"Yea well, hindsight is a bitch isn't it? We've all made our mistakes, and this time she paid for it with her life. I intend to do something about it besides sit up here and mourn."

Piccolo's words stirred in Videl the same passion she had felt on the plane, wishing she could help. One glance around the room told her that not many of the others were similarly affected. Most had their eyes downcast and their expressions set into sorrowful grimaces. The only others present that seemed to want to fight still were the three remaining Demi-Saiyans, and surprisingly enough, her father. All of their eyes were still glued to the tall Namekian, who stood in the center of the room, his arms crossed and his stern gaze scanning their eyes.

"This is our darkest hour, there's no doubt of that. But we can't withdraw into our shell like a turtle who's been frightened. Buu is tough, but both Gohan and 18 have proved that he isn't invincible. If we can draw him into the open, then use our combined strength, we can win. You all know that Goku and Gohan will be coming back some point soon. Are we just going to let Buu win? Are we going to leave nothing but a barren world for them to return to?"

Yamcha stood from his seat at the edge of one of the tables in the room, pushing himself up off of it and glaring hopelessly at him. Videl knew before he even opened his mouth that he was going to pose a counter argument.

"Look Piccolo, we can't even find this whack job! Every time we look somewhere, he goes behind our backs and kills off another town! This is like Cell all over again, except this time there's Kami knows how many of him!"

_You spineless little…_

Videl felt her patience waning quickly, and snapped as his words rang out, radiating fear and uncertainty.

"We have to do something!"

Her outburst earned the attention of all the Z gang, and suddenly there were dozens of sets of eyes on her. She glanced nervously towards Piccolo, who just gazed back at her with an impassive expression. Realizing that she had all of their attention now, she swallowed her sudden nerves and continued.

"You're the best chance the world has at stopping this thing right now… All of you are! I'm with Piccolo here, we have to go out there and at least try."

"Look Videl, we can all appreciate your passion about this, and I personally think it's real brave of you, but we've been through these sorts of things before. None of us normal humans are even remotely close to being able to handle Buu. It would be suicide. I've died before, and I'm not looking to go for round two."

She felt her temper flare as he spoke, and by the end of his little speech, she was livid.

"Don't you patronize me with your bull shit! How many times has Goku given everything for you all? Huh? Android 18 fought to the end to try and protect us! Gohan-…"

She stopped mid-sentence as her sensations of loss washed over her once more. She could feel the tears burning in her eyes, and attempted to blink them away and control her voice. She inhaled sharply and glared hard at the old fighter.

"_Gohan_ died for us. He gave everything he had. How many times did he sacrifice of himself to protect us? How many times did us _normal _humans sit by while someone else protected us?"

She didn't mean for her words to come on so strong, nor did she usually resort to guilt-tripping anyone, but it had the desired effect. Many of the eyes that were glued on her before were now cast elsewhere shamefully, and the ones that were still on her were wide with anxiety. Yamcha continued to stand, and seemed to be the most effected by her words.

"Videl… I didn't mean-"

"Save it… I only need to know one thing, and that's whether or not you're going to continue to bury your head in the sand and hide. I for one, am not going to sit idly by and wait for Buu to find us. I might be the new kid on the block, but I'm going to help however I can, even if it puts me in the way of danger."

With her adrenaline still pumping, she stood and strode over to stand next to Piccolo, crossing her arms and glaring about the room at the other fighters.

"I owe Gohan that much and more."

The room was stunned into silence at her bold words, and the accusation that was thrown at them. Piccolo caught her gaze with his own, staring hard at her with an expression she couldn't quite name. It seemed stern, yet dumbfounded at the same time. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought it was pride she was seeing. She tore her eyes form his gaze, crossing her arms and staring off into nothing before her as she awaited the response she feared was going to come. What happened next caught her by surprise. There was a flurry of motion as the demi twins broke away from their mother to rush up to her, followed closely by Trunks, their eyes full of determination.

"I'll fight too!"

"Yea, I'm in!"

"Aww darn, you two are gonna get yourselves killed! I'd better come too."

_Okay, _that_ is exactly what I didn't want to happen._

"Guys, you c-"

"NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

Videl stood stock straight as the shrill voices pierced her eardrums. Her eyes quickly found the source in Chi chi and Bulma, who had separated themselves from the masses and were standing over their collective children, glaring down at them challengingly. Trunks blushed madly and scratched behind his head, not quite looking his mother in the eye.

"Mooooooom…"

"No! You're eight years old Trunks! And half Saiyan or not, you could get killed down there!"

This time it was Ria that took up the torch for the demon trio, staring up at the two older women and indicating towards Videl.

"But Videl is going to help and she's still a kid! Sorta… And – no offense – we're all stronger than her!"

Videl cocked an eyebrow at her, still nervously looking towards the two over-protective mothers.

"None taken…"

"Videl is a grown woman Ria, _you_ and _Goten_ are just kids! Now get this crazy idea out of your head, you're not leaving me! And _you_!"

Chi chi rounded on Yamcha, planting her fists on her hips and glaring him back down into his chair.

"How are you able to just sit there and cower while my _children _are willing to do your job?!"

He backed away into his chair as far as he could, waving his hands before him and attempting to calm down the fierce woman.

"Fine! Fine Chi chi I'm going! Damn, I was going to anyways; it's not like I really have a choice..."

Chi chi turned her back on him, crossing her arms and turning her nose up.

"That's better… Now Videl sweety, I really don't think you ought to be going either. Ria did bring up a valid point, you're not as experienced with all this."

Videl blinked away her surprise quickly, shaking her head and staring back at the Son matron with as much determination as she was receiving.

"Thanks for the concern Chi chi, but my mind is made up. I'm going."

Piccolo shifted next to her, and a surprisingly heavy hand settled on her shoulder. She turned her head to look up at the Namekian curiously, but he wasn't looking back. His eyes were glued to the Son matron's, and his expression was as serious as she had ever seen it.

"She'll be out of harm's way Chi chi. I have a plan to take Buu on, and I think that miss Videl here can fit into it perfectly."

"Hey! What about me!"

Videl's attention was brought to the edge of the room, where her father stumbled over the chair he had just vacated, recovering and blushing in his embarrassment. He cleared his throat and regained his composure, striding into the middle of the room and standing before his daughter.

"Please Videl, you don't have to go out there, let me. I don't want you getting hurt."

Videl allowed her father's concern for her bring a slight smile to her face, but she knew all too well that he was about as useful in this situation as Bulma.

"Thanks dad, but I think you need to sit this one out. I don't think you'd be able to keep up with these guys… I mean they can fly, you know?"

A single bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face, and he nervously glanced around at the gathered Z gang.

"Well yea, but… wait… neither can you!"

She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms irritably and setting her face into a look that clearly said "wanna bet?". Hercule's jaw visibly dropped at her unspoken response, and he stammered a few times before struggling out what his mind was wanting to know.

"Wha… How?! When? Who?"

She sighed again and dropped her hands to her sides, knowing that he wasn't going to like her answer.

"I've been training with Gohan since before Haloween. And don't even start with your anti-boy drama dad, now isn't the time. Besides, like Chi chi said, I'm a grown woman, I can date anyone I want."

She froze, realizing the sudden silence that had settled on the room, and she felt the many sets of eyes that were staring right at her. She felt he face grow hot and she was suddenly wishing she were anywhere else.

_Oh Kami I did _not _just say that last bit out loud…_

One look at her father's dumbfounded expression was all the confirmation she needed.

_Shit, I did… well, looks like that cat is out of the bag._

Before any more could be said on the subject, Piccolo grunted, and she looked up to see him rolling his eyes with an amused smirk.

"You know, as funny as this little exchange is, it's not important right now. Now Hercule, I think I might have come up with a use for you. And you know what? I think you're going to like it."

***A FEW HOURS LATER***

Videl felt the weight in her chest tighten as she waited patiently at the edge of all the chaos happening before her. The Z-fighters had gotten a lucky break, and managed to figure out where at least one of the pieces of Buu was taking his reign of destruction; Ginger town.

_This place gets it worse than anywhere else, I swear… First Cell showed up here and wiped out the whole city, and now Buu? Note to self: never move here. God I hope this works, or this may be the last bad decision I make._

She could feel the sweat dripping down the sides of her face, both from the heat of the fuel fire that burned only a couple hundred feet from her and from the anxiety she was feeling. Cars were zipping past her as quickly as their operators could force them to go, and those left on foot were scattering about like roaches to light. She knew that the other Z-fighters were lying in wait, but she was unable to see them, and her inability to feel ki left her blind to everything besides what her normal senses picked up. She had heard about the chaos that was going on down here, but now that she saw it for herself, she was beginning to curse her own bravery. She had touched down after a shaky flight trying to keep up with the others just outside the airport, and things were already like a scene from a Michael Bay film. But she had a job to do, and couldn't allow herself to get cold feet now.

The other Z-fighters had all finally agreed to join them after some coercion from a pan wielding Chi chi, and the plan that Piccolo had was laid out. She was the bait. And when the beast came running, they would spring their trap. It was simple. Easy.

_Except for the fact that _I'm_ the bait! Dammit why did I open my stupid mouth?!_

'You wanted to help, here's your chance. Time for the new kid to strut her stuff!'

_Of all the… Shut up!_

'Nope! Now go out there and find you a wee nasty beasty!'

She growled, clenching her fists and beginning to make her way towards the town, keeping her eyes out for anything that stuck out. Of course, it was difficult with all the commotion, but she felt certain that she would be able to tell where Buu was when she saw it.

The chatter of small arms fire erupted somewhere off to her left near the aircraft hangers that were scattered about near the runway, and she immediately set her eyes on it, searching. A faint pink glow flashed against the wall of one of the hangers twice and some of the gunfire died down, only to be replaced by a hollow boom that accompanied an explosion.

_What the…? Do they have a tank?!_

Another explosion rang out, accompanied by a huge fireball that plumed up over the top of one of the hangers, holding the shattered remains of a tank turret atop its pillar like a crown.

'Not anymore.'

_I guess we found out where Buu is then._

Steeling herself, she took a deep breath and leapt into the air, sending herself soaring over the tarmac and grass until she could see on the other side of the hanger. The smoking wreckage of the tank that had been destroyed sat burning next to another tank that was still intact. Scores of National Guardsmen were firing away at a pink blur that was darting about, impacting several of them and leaving behind only shredded remains. They were falling quickly, and in a panicked attempt to hit their target, the second tank fired. A jet of flame erupted from the barrel of the main gun, quickly followed by an explosion that erupted in the middle of a group of men where Buu was. Body parts scattered everywhere as the high explosive shell detonated, and those that were far enough away to not be torn apart, but still too close were riddled with shrapnel and set ablaze. Screams erupted from the wounded men, filling the air with a siren's call that chilled her to the bone. The tank commander could be heard cursing loudly from his open hatch atop the tank as he opened up with the machine gun mounted on the turret.

_This has got to stop!_

Quickly scanning about, she located her target. The pink blob was reforming itself quickly, and as one guardsman opened fire from a short distance away, Buu shot towards him. The tentacle thing hanging before his head glowed white, and a pink bolt of light shot out from the tip of it, striking the man in the chest. Before she even had time to react, he disappeared to be replaced by a small brown chunk of something that fell to the concrete. She ignored the desire to hurl at the carnage before her, letting her outrage fuel her. She gritted her teeth and began pulling at her ki. It came to her quicker than ever before, and she was quickly able to pull it into a blast, forming a bright blue ball in her hand. She glared down at Buu and chucked the ball, sending it arcing down in a graceful curve. Buu halted in his advances to glare up at the blast just as it struck him dead in the center of his face. Videl knew that her blast was merely a minor annoyance to him, but still felt a grim satisfaction when the smoke cleared and his face looked like it had been mashed up by a meat tenderizer.

'Oh hell. The fuck. Yes! Damn I wish you had learned this earlier! That was so badass!'

_Yea that's great and all but now-I-really-think-we-need-to-move!_

Buu ignored the bullets that riddled his body, screaming a high pitched wail to the sky and taking off after her as she turned to flee. She glanced over her shoulder to be sure she had gotten his attention and flew as fast as she could make herself go. She realized that she didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of outrunning him, and sent herself towards the ground in the middle of the runway. She landed on both feet and rolled to slow herself before standing and turning to face the monster as it came at her. It was still several hundred feet away, but she could make out all the details on him. Normally she would have been fascinated by what she was seeing, but the fact that she knew it was coming after her with that sick grin on its face killed any fascination that there would have been.

"Any time now guys!"

It continued to close on her, and she felt fear grip her heart as he got closer and closer. She noticed its angler begin to glow again, and jumped aside as a bolt shot towards her, impacting the ground where she had been standing a split second before. She rolled again, propping herself up on her knee and struggling to get eyes on it again when she realized it was mere feet away from her. His claws were extended towards her and its teeth were bared in a feral grin. Those wide pupil-less eyes bored into hers, and she knew that she would never be able to rid that image from her mind. Time slowed down for her as she awaited her impending doom.

But it didn't come. A corkscrew like ki blast impacted Buu in the side before he could touch her, and Buu was carried away on it to impact the ground with a mighty explosion against the wall of a hangar. Before she could count, four more blasts shot in and impacted the area he had landed in, completely evaporating the structure and blinding her with light. The smoke began to clear slowly, and she realized with some relief that the Guardsmen that had been in the area were not caught in the blast. She stared after Buu for only a moment before five gusts of wind announced the arrival of Krillin, Piccolo, Tien, Yamcha and Android 17. They closed quickly on Buu as he tried to recover from the blast. He looked like he had gone through a meat grinder. Multiple body parts were missing, and what was left looked ragged and burnt. He reformed himself, and Videl realized he was a lot smaller than before.

'HA! Take that you pink blob!'

No longer was Buu's face that of an excited beast, but that of an animal trapped. His feral snarl was only diminished by the fear that she could make out in his eyes. They darted between the five fighters as his head snapped around rapidly. He shot another bolt of light in the general direction of Piccolo, but the Namekian deftly dodged it. Krillin roared and held his hand out above his head.

"DISTRUCTO DISK!"

A thin sheet of light formed above his hand, and he threw it quickly. The disk caught Buu by surprise, and as he ducked under it, his angler was cut cleanly from the top of his head to fall by the way-side. Buu's howl of pain was silenced quickly as Yamcha shot behind him, kicking Buu square in the back and sending him flying skyward before settling back into a back stance with the heels of his palms together at his side. Videl swore she was able to see the imprint of his foot on in the beast's stomach, but didn't have time to think about it. Tien landed and quickly held both hands up above his head, forming a triangle with his fingers and thumbs. Piccolo landed some distance away from him and bared his teeth up at him. 17 remained in the sky along with Krillin, and set his hands by his sides, forming golden ki balls in his hands. Krillin immediately transitioned from his previous attack and set his hands at his sides, palm to palm.

"TRI BEAM-"

"KAME HAME-"

A second passed like an eternity where all seemed to be silent, and as one the five fighters unleashed their blasts. Krillin and Yamcha both extended their hands out towards the creature, the bright blue balls of ki began to warp and shine brighter. The space between Tien's hands began to glow gold. Piccolo's maw opened wide, and a bright orange bubble of ki seemed to well up from within his chest, and 17 extended both hands, joining the two balls of ki into one.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The collective roar from the five fighters was blotted out by the sound of their blasts ripping the sky apart. Five beams found their target, and the force of the explosion sent Videl flying backwards. She skidded across the tarmac, feeling the skin on her elbows get scraped on it as she attempted to shield her eyes. She finally stopped sliding, and after giving it another second, she peeked from behind her hands. The five fighters stood panting, staring at the place where Buu had been. Now there was only a cloud of smoke, and a haze of ash that floated down from it. She blinked a few times and fought to control her heart rate. For a moment, the fighters seemed to stand still as statues. But then Krillin called out something she couldn't understand and they scattered. For a brief moment, she thought that they had failed, and Buu had escaped. But then she realized that they were going about and sending ki blasts at the ground.

_What the…_

She shakily stood, only now realizing how tired she was, and began searching for what it was they were shooting at. After a moment, she realized that they _had _hit their target, and now there were just remains scattered about. There were occasional chunks of pink that had landed on the tarmac, and they were systematically going about obliterating them. She watched them work, marveling at the speed with which they did it. But a tug on her shoe brought her out of her trance, and she glanced down. Her heart jumped into her throat as she realized a small chunk of Buu had landed near her and was actively attempting to crawl its way up her shoe to her leg. She let out a panicked yelp and kicked out at it, and was surprised when it came free of her foot and landed a few feet away. Without thinking, she held her hand out before her, gripping her wrist with the other one, and forced her ki through it. The blast shot out in a beam of white, striking the blob and sending up a cloud of steam as the miniscule blob heated up and caught fire.

"FUCKING DIE ALREADY!"

Even as she watched, the blob charred and burned away until there was nothing left but a small pile of ashes that blew away in a gust of wind. She allowed the flow of ki to halt, and she sagged forward. Her breathing was coming in heavy, and the sweat from her brow dripped down her face and off her chin to pool on the ground. She planted her hands on her knees and tried to catch her breath, replaying in her mind what had just happened to be sure she had done it. The sound of someone landing near her brought her out of her own mind and back to reality as she stiffened, preparing to defend herself against Buu. But when she spun to face the noise, she only found Piccolo there, his arms crossed and a serious scowl on his face. They locked eyes, and after a second, his lips cracked into a smirk.

"Well done kid. We got him."

***RADIO BROADCAST MERE MINUTES LATER***

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have some incredible news for you all. Amidst the chaos that is currently attacking the globe, a light of hope has been kindled! Less than an hour ago the small city of Ginger Town was under attack by one of the mysterious beings that have been committing mass genocide. All hope there seemed lost, with civilian and military forces alike falling to the strange creature. But then a mysterious group of people headed by none other than our champion's daughter, Videl Satan, arrived on the scene and managed to take down the monster! We aren't sure of what they did or how, but as of now the City is saved! To make matters even better, the champ _himself _has reappeared! No one is sure what happened to the world's hero, but he came to us with this message!"

Static cut into the transmission for a second before it became clear once again, and a plethora of voices could be heard asking questions to the champ quickly.

"Mr. Satan! Where did you go?"

"What happened to you after the tournament?"

"Who is responsible for this?"

"Is this the return of Cell?"

"Can he be defeated?"

"What are you doing to stop this travesty?!"

"QUIET!"

The stunned silence left in the wake of his outburst left only static coming over the line. A heavy sigh could be heard from the champ and he began to speak.

"Please, all of you, be calm. I was unfortunately kept from the world by a rather special group of people whose names I won't repeat out of respect for their privacy. They know what it is we face, and they know how to defeat him."

A clamor of voices called out at that in an attempt to catch his attention, to be cut off by one woman's voice.

"Mr. Satan! There are tons of these things all over the world, not just one! Who is this 'he' that you refer to?"

"Make no mistake! This is a single being attacking us all. The creature is named Majin Buu, and he has been split into lots of other little monsters. The people I've been working with to try and halt this assault say that he will rejoin all of his pieces together sometime soon, but in the meantime we are trying to eliminate as many of them as we can! The victory at Ginger town is just one such instance of the work we are doing."

"Mr. Satan, who are these people you claim to be working with? Are they students of yours? Side-kicks? Has the Champ been hiding them from us all of these years for protection?

A momentary pause was heard over the radio as he hesitated.

"Yes, I've been hiding their existence from the world, as much for my protection as theirs. Again, I'll not state their names for their sake, all you need to know is I trust their judgment on this."

"But Mr. Satan, the wor-"

"WHAT we need right now my good people is cooperation! We can take Buu down! But we need to find him! My message to the world leaders is this: Give us all the information you can! Things are dark, and Buu is incredibly skillful at hiding from us and striking from the shadows. We got lucky being able to catch him today. We _need _your help now. I will be working with the National guard in the capital and directing our special forces to eradicate this monster. We will go anywhere, and to any lengths to stop this onslaught. Just contact me, and we will be there as soon as possible."

***OTHER-WORLD***

Gohan swiped the blade up in a wide arc, barely noticing the weight now as he shifted from form to form. Things had been extremely shaky at first, and he had received more than a couple bumps and bruises from under-estimating the weight of the sword. His muscles burned with fatigue, but he was reveling in the feeling of strength that permeated his body. He begrudgingly found himself admitting the Kai was right. He halted in his drilling and glanced over to the tree where his father and the Kai had settled themselves. His father was fast asleep by the looks of it, but the Kai was glaring at the ground with a frustrated expression. Gohan spun the blade and stood straight, smirking down at the weapon with a deep-seated satisfaction.

"Well… It's nowhere near perfect, but I can use this thing at least."

No response. He stared over at the other two confused for a moment before sighing and planting the sword once more into the ground. He leaned on the hilt and furrowed his brow.

"Hey Kai! What's eating you? Don't tell me you're upset that you were right?"

Shin seemed to come out of his state of frustration for a moment, shaking his head and looking back at the demi-saiyan surprised.

"Oh, sorry about that Gohan. It's just that you've been at it for several hours, and there's still no sign of Kibito. I have no Idea what's taking so long, he merely needed to go get the others and return!"

"Mmmm muffins…"

Gohan and Shin both hesitated, blinking in surprise at that. They turned their attention to Goku, who was passed out against the tree with a bit of drool dripping out of the corner of his mouth. A smile played on his lips as he dreamt… About muffins.

_Come on dad… _

"Ummmm… Anyways, you mind telling me who you were bringing to train me?"

Shin looked like he was about to respond when a loud crack rent the air and stunned him back into silence. Goku cried out in panic and shot to his feet, scanning about for the threat. Gohan watched his actions with a slight amusement before turning to meet the newcomers, and had to do a double take. He knew Kibito, and there was Vegeta as well. But the surprise came from the other two that arrived along-side him. One looked like he could have been Vegeta's twin brother, but taller and with a beard. Even their hair was the same. The other was a carbon copy of his father, the only difference being his darker skin tone and the scar marring his left cheek. Both of them were wearing Saiyan battle armor, and both immediately locked eyes with him.

"Ah good, you're finally here!"

Gohan felt the Supreme kai move off to his right, and Gohan noticed as he passed that he was smiling brightly.

"Gohan, these are going to be your mentors while you are here. I'll let them make their introductions and begin, for now though I need to borrow our young prince and Goku."

Without another word the Kai took to the air, shooting off into the sky. Goku shrugged and grinned at his son, before waving excitedly at the two newcomers and following. Vegeta just continued to stand there, arms crossed and a glare set on his features. Gohan stared right back, suddenly realizing that even though the Prince's mind wasn't his own at the time, the last time they had met he had killed him. He worried for a second that perhaps Vegeta remembered, and now he was holding some sort of grudge.

_I wouldn't put it past him… What do I say?_

Vegeta moved before Gohan could say anything, simply dropping his arms to his sides and setting his jaw.

"Brat."

Gohan looked carefully at him for a moment, watching his jaw twitch and trying to guess the emotion behind his voice. He thought for a moment he heard anger, but the more times the word rattled around in his head, the more he heard gratitude. He felt the corner of his lip twitch upwards at the realization, and nodded at the prince in acknowledgement.

"Vegeta."

He lingered for only a moment longer before turning and taking off after Goku, and then Gohan was left with the two new Saiyans and Kibito, all three of which just continued to stand there looking at him. Gohan sighed and pulled the sword up from the ground, propping it against his shoulder and looking critically at the two Saiyans before quirking an eyebrow at the Kai that stood beside them in a state of awe.

"The Z-sword has been unleashed… Wha?... How?"

"I pulled really hard."

"I see…"

An awkward silence hung between them for a second before Gohan nodded towards the other two.

"Took you long enough to get them."

"Yes, the Prince was… Occupied for some time there, and was rather difficult to track down. I believe he specifically said, 'piss off bubble-gum, I've got an old friend to visit'."

Gohan rolled his eyes and grunted his understanding before returning his attention to the other two. He took a deep breath as silence hung over them.

"So…"

"So… You are the half-breed who killed Cell?"

Gohan hesitated at the booming bass that emanated from the larger of the two Saiyans that looked like Vegeta. It carried on it a power that went beyond his appearances and seemed to radiate confidence. He felt his eye twitch as some part of his memory clicked into place and he realized his assumption earlier was closer than he thought. He felt suddenly unsure of what to do, and simply showed some small amount of respect by bending at the waist and bowing slightly to the King.

"King Vegeta. Should have guessed sooner who you were."

"Very perceptive of you. Indeed, I am the King. For what it's worth. Our friend here is one of your name-sakes if I'm not mistaken?"

_Name-sakes? Grandpa Gohan was human… Oh… Oh wow…_

"My name is Bardock. I'm your grandfather."

In spite of himself, Gohan felt an excitement he rarely experienced. Here he was, face to face with the very man he named his alter-ego after. This was the real legend, the lone man who stood up to Frieza in the last hours of his race. The man who spawned the first Super Saiyan in a millennia. He studied his grandfather's features closely, noticing all the similarities to his father. There were very few differences between them, with only his steely expression being the major difference that struck him. He was hardened, a warrior within and out. He saw a kindred spirit behind those war-torn features, someone he could relate to. He immediately felt a respect for the Saiyan, and bowed to him to show it.

"Grandfather, it is an honor to meet you."

Bardock smirked and strode towards him, pulling him up straight by the shoulders. Gohan blinked a couple times in surprise at the gesture, and then felt an even greater shock when his features took on a very Goku-ish smile. Bardock took Gohan's hand in a firm handshake, still gripping his shoulder with his other hand.

"Please Gohan. It is _my_ honor to finally meet you in person. Your father has spoken very highly of you, and the few instances I've seen your life before… You have become what I never could in my life, and you used my name for yourself. You don't have to show me such level of respect, you may just call me Bardock. It will simplify things."

Gohan was stunned. As quickly as his mind was, he was unable to process exactly what had happened. When it caught up, he realized that he too was smiling. He grasped Bardock's hand back firmly.

"Well, now that the introductions are over with, let us begin…"

Gohan nodded, returning his attention to the King as he began to circle the Demi, stroking his beard with a curious expression on his face.

"Hmm, you seem very… formidable even in this state. In spite of your heritage, you look every bit a Saiyan. You can transform, and there's no doubt in my mind that you are a skilled fighter. Bardock here has a gift of sorts to see the future, and that includes you. He knows better than I what you are capable of, but it is rare for him to speak so highly of anyone."

Gohan furrowed his brow in concentration, mulling his words over in his mind.

_He saw my future? Then does he know what's going to happen? Did he know about Buu? Kami there's so much to ask…_

"You know what we're here to teach you right?"

Gohan shook his thoughts from his mind for a later time and returned his attention to the King, with a small nod. Vegeta's beard twitched as a smirk appeared across his lips.

"You have much to learn, and it's not going to be easy. My purpose here is to teach you how to create the blutz waves necessary to transform, a technique that I created myself. Bardock and I will both attempt to show you how to control yourself once you are there."

Gohan felt a slight sense of dread at that and scratched the back of his neck anxiously.

"Just like that? I mean, I thought there was some way to train-"

"There isn't. The Oozaru form is not something you can prepare yourself for. It is pure instinct, the true form of the Saiyan warrior. It is fueled by rage, and controlled by the force of your will alone. The more power you hold, the greater the challenge, and the greater the reward."

Gohan weighed his words, and came to a difficult conclusion. He pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation.

_Which means that in Super Saiyan three, if I were to transform… I'd rather not think about that. Baby steps Gohan._

"Okay, I got it. What do I need to do?"

They were interrupted by a heavy cough from the remaining Kai.

"This may be an opportune time to let you know that we have a mere couple days at best Vegeta. Will you have enough time to teach him how to create the waves necessary?"

"What?!"

Gohan flinched at the King's outburst as he turned to face the Kai.

"You mean to tell me that we have next to no time?! I thought we had a week at a minimum! Just locating the right type of energy can take as much time! My own son had to search for nearly a month to achieve it, and many were totally incapable! Most were my elites, the best warriors of our race!"

_Weeks? Months?... Well shit I bet I could do it in a couple days, but… _

"We can't take the risk."

The King turned his head to look at him once more, dumbfounded. Bardock's face was stern and staring hard at him, as if trying to figure something out.

"Look, I know Vegeta-… Er, your son, is capable of doing that blutz wave thing. I saw him do it personally. He'll be going with me, and if we can't stop Buu with our combined strength, _then _I will transform. But not until then."

Vegeta crossed his arms and glared at the Demi, which Gohan returned with as much fire. Gohan knew his limits, and this was not something that he would discuss with the King.

"Then what was the point of bringing me here? If my Son fails, if he is incapable of creating the blutz waves, then you are going to be stuck on your own, just as you are. You may not even _get _the opportunity to transform."

"Well, in the event that I do, I can't do Buu's job for him. I need to know how to control it if I am ever going to use it. I don't foresee myself getting rid of my tail this time, so it might be a good idea to learn. You can at least teach me how to stay in control of myself when I transform."

Bardock chose that moment to step forward and place a hand on the King's shoulder, drawing his attention to the stone-faced warrior.

"Sire, I think that we must defer to Gohan on this one. We are still unsure of the situation, and this is his home we are talking about."

"What about your premonition?"

Bardock smirked and shrugged, and Gohan quirked an eyebrow at them.

"My premonitions aren't all inclusive. I saw but a small part of it, and we both know what happened the last time I tried to change events I witnessed."

The king inhaled sharply, but nodded, his eyes staring off into nothingness as he replayed something in his mind. Gohan narrowed his eyes, knowing full well what it was he was seeing. The destruction of planet Vegeta was the last time any of them _could _have acted on one of Bardock's premonitions.

"Fine boy, we will do what we can here. Kibito, it may be a good idea to take this training somewhere less… Fragile."

Vegeta indicated towards their lush surroundings, and gave him a significant look. The Kai took a second to understand his meaning before nodding and turning to Gohan. He pointed towards the blade that was still propped against his shoulder, and closed his eyes in concentration. Gohan looked between him and the sword quizzically.

_What the hell is he doing? I don't think he could hold this thing if he wanted to – Holy shit!_

He held the blade away from him as it vibrated against his shoulder, and a haze of smoke materialized around it before his very eyes. He watched as the smoke began to form and solidify, seeming to simply fade into existence in the shape of a scabbard. The sword stopped vibrating, and the scabbard was fully formed. It was a solid black color of a metal that Gohan could not immediately identify. The end of it was shrouded in gold carved into the form of a dragon's head, and the mouth of the scabbard was similarly decorated, melding perfectly with the hilt of the sword. A single leather strap looped from the mouth to the lower half of the scabbard so that it could be slung across the user's back. Gohan narrowed his eyes at it, pulling the scabbard off part-way so that he could see the blade beneath. It slid out without a sound, just like it had been made specifically for it. He looked over the blade at the pink Kai, who smirked at it with satisfaction.

"How… What did you do? Where did this come from?"

Kibito continued to smirk, holding his hand up and wiggling his fingers in the air.

"'Gods of the fucking universe', as you put it. We are gods of creation, and I had long ago come up with a scabbard design for that blade. All I needed was for it to be freed."

Gohan stared at him hard for a moment. Deciding that what he had said made sense, he sheathed the sword once more and slung it across his back, allowing the weight to rest firmly on his shoulders and muttering his thanks. Kibito's expression changed back to its usual neutral position, and he clasped his hands behind his back.

"Now if you'll grab on, we can leave. I know a planet that may be more useful to you."

Gohan heard the King grumble something about dignity, but he grudgingly walked over and placed a hand against his arm regardless. Gohan snorted in amusement before joining him on the opposite side of the Kai. He took a deep breath in preparation for the unpleasant journey and closed his eyes as he felt himself beginning to get tugged through space with a crack.

_Wonder what it is Shin wanted Dad and Vegeta for..._

***ELSEWHERE ON THE KAI'S PLANET***

"YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?!"

"Oh come on Vegeta, it doesn't look that bad."

"SPEAK FOR YOURSELF KAKAROT! THIS GUY IS MAKING A MOCKERY OF THE SAIYAN WARRIORS!"

"Vegeta, I assure you this will work. This technique is extremely old and very effective."

"BAH!"

***BACK ON EARTH***

Hercule grunted acknowledgement to whatever it was the General said to him as he strode down the hall with him. His mind was elsewhere, wondering what was happening with his daughter and the strange people she had become close to. Yes, they had managed to defeat at least one bit of Buu that morning, but he was worried. The general droned on without noticing that Hercule wasn't even listening.

_Why is she so stuck on doing this? I mean, is it worth dying for one boy? I don't care who he is, that's just silly! She should be down here helping with the moral of the people, not throwing herself at some unbeatable monster! What happens when Buu gets bigger like that one that killed the blonde chick – what was her name? _

"Umm… Mr. Satan? Are you alright sir?"

Hercule started at the sudden contact as the General grasped his arm with a concerned look on his face. He felt the tension within himself still pulling at his heart, but shoved it away to try and focus on the present. He ran a hand through his curly hair and breathed deeply.

"Yea. Yea, sorry about that chief. What did you say?"

The General's expression immediately darkened, and his eyes darted to both sides to see if they were being overheard.

"It's the others Hercule. We've struck up a coalition with other nations under your banner, but now they're saying crazy things! It's well known that we have a huge nuclear arsenal at our disposal, and many believe we should use it!"

An electric jolt shot up Hercule's spine as the words registered in his mind, and his eyes snapped wide open.

"You can't be serious! You're joking with me right?"

The General swallowed past the lump in his throat and shook his head. Hercule breathed deeply, thinking over the implications of what that meant.

"But… There's no way we can use that sort of firepower without hitting our own people. Not to mention we would make our entire planet unlivable for… For… Shit, a long time!"

"I know sir. We know the consequences, but the others believe that it will be necessary for our survival. They don't believe that your 'special forces' can do this."

"That's no excuse for destroying everything! We don't even know if nukes will work! Hell for all we know, we'd just be feeding him! My guys are the only ones who we _know_ can kill him!"

The general sighed and hung his head, holding his hands out in defeat before dropping them at his sides.

"Then _you'll_ have to convince them Hercule. You are the world's savior, and they need to hear it from you. Hell, make a public statement if you have to, just to get the people on your side! It doesn't matter at this point whether or not these monkey-suit wearing desk-jockeys like you or not, we have to fight the right way! Making life impossible even if we were to kill him is ultimately an even worse failure. We'd have done it to ourselves!"

Hercule growled in his frustration, clenching his fists and trying to figure out what he needed to do. The General clasped his shoulder again, looking up at the former champ with a serious scowl.

"They're scared Hercule. Buu has knocked them down and they don't want to get up and face him anymore. We need you _now_ to pull them back onto their feet."

**A/N: Well alrighty everyone, there you go. Bright, shiny, and new. I've been slacking a bit on the other story I started unfortunately, and the second chapter isn't quite ready for publishing. But fear not, i'm not being totally inactive. Just struggling with a rather bad case of writer's block. If anyone knows of a good fanfic, DBZ or otherwise that they would like to recommend, please shoot me a PM with it? However please avoid posting it in a review, for the sake of the other reviewers. I've been needing a good read for a while now. I'll see you all next time! R&amp;R and as always, have a fantastic day!**


	33. Bad Judgement

**Someone brought up a point I would like to address right quick in regards to something in the previous chapters. A-man I'm talking to you. While I'd have liked to answer this one by PM, I can't so I'll just have to settle for this. For the three children, there was a purpose to having Ria transform first, which I am conveniently not going to state until it becomes apparent in the story itself. Your argument for why Trunks or Goten should have been the one is a reasonable one "in the wild" as you said. However, they are not in the wild, and they're all still children. I even remember saying that Trunks was stronger than both of the Son kids, so the logical progression would be that he would be the first to do it. My counter argument is right there in the following chapter: They never had a reason to transform before. Ria simply lost her shit and stumbled upon it for the first time, and believe me when I say that women are nothing to be underestimated when they get pissed off. I work with lots in the Corps who would rip your balls out through your throat as soon as you even suggested you could beat them in a fight. Yes, I am physically stronger than them, It's how I was made. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't get my ass handed to me in a fight if I pushed the wrong button on them.**

**Additionally****, I would like to apologize if anyone thought I sounded a bit arrogant in my previous chapter's A/N. I didn't mean to come off as arrogant enough to believe my story deserved more attention, I was actually hoping someone could tell me if perhaps the system didn't send out the notification emails or something of the sort. But reading back on it, I kinda did come off that way. For that, I apologize. Anyways, this one came quickly to me, and the reason it took so long was editing. Anyways, here's the next chapter, R&amp;R, and enjoy!**

**Chapter 33: Bad Judgement**

***LOOKOUT***

It was the little victories that were keeping her going now. It was getting dark as Videl landed rather heavily on the platform in the sky behind Piccolo and the others, completely winded and exhausted. But they had had their first taste of victory in what seemed like forever. She immediately collapsed onto her rear and fell back to stare up at the sky, allowing the cool high-altitude air to kiss her sweaty skin. She shut her eyes against the light breeze, trying to regain her breath. She felt someone sit down heavily near her and turned her eyes to see Android 17, stoic as ever, gazing down on her with an unreadable expression. He just sat there, looking down at her until she quirked an eyebrow and pushed herself up onto her elbows.

"What's with you? Don't make fun of me because I'm worn out from flying."

"I'm not."

"Well… Then why are you looking at me like that?"

His head tilted to the side a bit and he leaned back on his hands, not taking his eyes off of hers. It made her extremely uncomfortable not being able to read his expression like normal people. She knew it had something to do with their augments, but it still creeped her out.

"Actually I'm marveling. You show a surprisingly strong amount of will, considering what you've just gone through."

_Okay, that one confused me… We just got done killing Buu. Or a part of him anyways. What's there to be negative about?_

Her confusion must have been evident on her face because the Android continued.

"My sister and I can share information between us without speaking, kinda like your silly human's telephones. I'm well aware of how close you and Gohan are. Even with all that you're being put through, you still fight. You stood up to a group of people you didn't really know and convinced them to keep fighting. Quite effectively too I might add."

His statement brought forth a wide range of emotions from her. The reminder of Gohan brought forth the same agony that had kept her awake the night before, crying into her best friend's shoulder while nobody else was looking. She was shocked to find that 17 was so privy to their relationship, and on top of it she was embarrassed by his praise. She knew she was incapable of giving anything other than a hesitant nod in acknowledgement, too tired to do anything else. Piccolo loomed into her view, blotting out the sun as he looked down on her. She craned her neck up to look up at the tall Namekian and felt a slight chill that had nothing to do with the air. But it vanished when he reached out his hand to her.

"Come on kid, let's get you off to bed and get you rested. We all need to be in our best shape when we go down again."

She nodded her head in agreement, reaching up to grasp his hand and wincing a bit as he pulled her to her feet. She immediately almost fell forward, but caught herself on shaky legs before standing up straight. She released Picclolo's hand and began making her way towards the building slowly. She faintly heard the other five fighters pick up a conversation behind her, but paid no attention to it. Right now all she wanted was a bed to lay down in and a whole year to sleep. She made it to the entrance to the lookout and managed to bump headlong into the door frame, earning a sharp hiss and "ouch" from her. Before she quite knew what was going on, she was being led along by a small hand as she used the other to press against her forehead where she could feel a bump forming.

"Ugh, I go fight Buu and come back safely to bash my skull on a wall… What are the odds?"

She blinked back her dizziness and looked down at the person half-dragging her through the halls.

"Goten?"

The young demi turned his head to look up at her with a friendly smile as he gently pulled her along. Videl looked around for his twin or best friend, or anyone else for that matter, but no it seemed they were alone.

"I felt your fight down there! It was so cool, that Buu monster finally showed himself to us, and he was really powerful, but you guys blasted him and stuff and now he's gone! I wish I could have been there…"

He trailed off quietly with that last statement as he pulled her to her room, which she was delighted to see. She paused outside her door to consider the boy who had led her here, her mind still a mix of emotions. He was so innocent, so eager to help out, so full of fire. An image flashed in her mind of Buu as he was about to attack her, and a jolt shot down her spine.

_No child should ever have to see that. For that matter, no_ person_ should._

She couldn't say anything to him before he turned and ran back down the hall, no doubt looking for the others. She sighed and stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. She hesitated a moment there, the image of Buu burned into her mind.

"No you don't Goten… I wish I hadn't."

She stumbled over to her bed, not even bothering to remove any of her battle-worn clothes before flopping down on it sideways with her legs falling over the edge. As soon as her head hit the mattress, she felt herself fading back into black. It had been a long day.

***BACK OUTSIDE***

Piccolo looked hard at the other four fighters as Videl was walking away. It was a small grace that she couldn't yet sense ki. If she had, there was no way he could have convinced her to keep helping. When Buu had revealed himself immediately after their arrival, the amount of energy he was putting out was insane. They had been able to overpower him, but only just. The others were feeling completely outclassed and in over their heads, and it was showing. It didn't help that they had witnessed exactly how Buu was feeding, and Krillin was currently holding what looked like a six inch tall figurine of a man made out of dark brown stone. They'd grabbed what they could before departing, allowing the guardsmen that were left to clean up the mess and try to secure the city.

"You don't suppose there is a way to reverse this do you?"

Krillin carefully inspected the figure, noting the little details in it. He could even make out the clothes on it. Tien planted his hands on his hips and scowled down at it.

"I couldn't tell you, not that I think it will matter. Buu doesn't usually miss a meal."

Yamcha crossed his arms considering the figure with his head cocked to the side and a puzzled expression.

"Well do you think he's still alive? Maybe? I mean I can feel the energy in that thing, but it doesn't feel like a person's ki."

Piccolo took that moment to grunt and reach out for it. He took the figure from Krillin's outstretched palm and held it before him a moment, inspecting it for himself.

"I don't think we can reverse it. This is some of Babidi's magic. Which means…"

He threw the figure high into the air, earning a surprised gasp from the three of them, 17 simply watched with his impassive glare. He focused his ki through his eyes, and an explosion erupted high up in the air. He felt the remaining energy of the person that the statue used to be dissipate into nothing, and looked back at the other fighters. They gaped at him in confusion.

"If we use the Dragon balls to revive these people, and he's technically alive still, then he'd be stuck like that. I'd rather they be completely dead so that we only have to try once."

***CENTRAL CITY – THE CAPTIAL***

Hercule stood at the edge of the table where all the major leaders of the world had elected to gather. There were only a dozen left in all, a fact which didn't help with their current situation.

"We can't fight this with conventional weapons! We have to use our nuclear arsenal while we still have a chance to save what's left of our people! Look around you! Those empty seats represent a country that is _gone_. Just gone! _Half _of the world is gone now, _that we know of_. A third of your country alone is gone Hercule! What more is it going to take for you to see the need?"

Footage played in the background on a projector, showing snippets of the fight against Buu being conducted by the individual armies of the world. Each bit of footage showed just how futile their attempts were, but Hercule was impressed nonetheless that the kept trying. But he kept his eyes on the Prime minister who had spoken. He was a pale elderly man with a heavy scar across his brow, and he spoke with a heavy accent native to his home country. Everywhere he went he was accompanied by a huge brown bear that wore a collar bearing the name "Ivan" on it. He was no stranger to war, having served in his own armed forces for close to forty years, but it seemed that in his old age he was losing his grip on reality. Unfortunately for Hercule, many of the others in the room appeared to agree with him, even if it was only half-heartedly. The only ones who appeared to think otherwise were King Furry and Chiaoutzu, who had accompanied Hercule there.

"Stop and listen to yourself! You're talking about doing Buu's job for him! If we launch even one of those abominations, we will kill millions of people! You know where he's going! Large cities are his focus right now! We don't even know if that will work!"

It felt like this had been going on for hours, the way they were all dancing around the same conversation. Hercule could feel himself sweating now, knowing that he was making no ground.

"And your 'special forces' as you call them are going to do the job? What could a group of mere humans do about this? My own special forces can't do anything to him! Their guns have no effect on him!"

It was that moment that the king finally spoke. The anthropomorphic dog cleared his throat and rubbed his temples irritably.

"Look Jo', this is not something that we should be fighting about. We all know what is at stake here, and we need cooperation from _everybody._ Hercule already saved us once-"

He hesitated there, glancing over at the tall martial artist. Hercule could swear he saw his eye twitch as if he knew that statement was false. But before he could dwell on it, the King plowed on.

"-And I trust his judgment here. If he says that he can do it, then he can. Not to mention his _people _have already saved one town from destruction."

The room fell silent, and the foreigners all stare directly at Hercule. He tried to put on his best serious mask, crossing his arms and glaring right back at "Jo'". For a moment the Prime Minister looked like he was about to say something about it, but then leaned back in his chair, staring off into nothing and waving his hand absently towards them. He began stroking Ivan's head, earning a snort from the bear.

"Fine, if you think you can do it, then by all means..."

_**He's not being honest with us Mr. Satan.**_

The voice of the tiny Emperor of the Mifan Empire rang through his head, and sent a shiver down his spine. He glanced over to the tiny man, who stared right at the Prime minister with no emotion on his face. It sent a sense of foreboding through Hercule's mind. Something about the whole situation rubbed him the wrong way, and he narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously.

***LATER THAT NIGHT – HERCULE'S CAPITAL ROOM***

Hercule scanned about his private room, making sure the door was locked and searching for bugs. Satisfied that things were secured, he pulled the cell-phone like device that Bulma had given him out of the pocket of his gi. He quickly hit the green button on the front and waited for a response on the other end. The static cut out and he quickly held the device close to his ear, searching the room with his eyes again.

"_What is it?"_

"Double-Bee, this is Big Papa, the meeting has adjourned."

Silence hung over the phone for a second before Bulma spoke again.

_"Okay, what the hell are you doing?"_

"Ummm… Speaking in code so that nobody can understand us…?

_"Oh for the love of… It's a secure point to point connection Hercule! It's encrypted with a code that I didn't even give to the government! Now what the hell do you mean?"_

_ Oh… Well she sounds like she's in a good mood._

"Uh… Well we all left the meeting a couple hours ago."

_"Yea? Anything to tell us or is this a social call?"_

"Actually yea, there's a lot of bad shit going down and I thought I'd give you all a heads up. A lot of the guys didn't even show up, never made it out of their own countries. About half…"

_"What?! You've got to be kidding me, it's only been a couple days since Buu's appeared. He's already done that much? Are you sure?"_

Hercule nodded his head sadly, even though nobody was there to see it.

"Yea, and that's not the worst part. This guy named 'Jo' with a big pet bear is suggesting we use nukes, and I got a feeling he doesn't care what we think about it."

_"Jo'? As in Joseph Ivanov, the Prime minister of the northern nation?"_

"Yea and the little doll looking guy agrees with me."

_"Chiaotzu, his name is Chiaotzu. Shit, I remember Joseph all too well. He's a war-mongering old timer who wishes he was still strong enough to carry a rifle. He's no fool though. This is not like him."_

Hercule sagged onto his bed, staring at the ground between his feet and scowling.

"Yea, he's desperate. They all are. What should I do though? I almost wasn't able to deter them at all."

There was a silence over the line as Bulma considered his question. Finally a heavy sigh came through the channel.

_"If he's desperate enough to start glassing the planet, then he needs to be watched. Work with Chiaotzu, he's more powerful than he looks. Force them to see reason if you must, but we can't allow them to start wiping out what's left of the planet."_

Again he nodded, grunting his acknowledgement. A silence settled over the two of them before Hercule managed to find his voice again.

"H-how is Videl doing? That stunt you guys pulled this morning in Ginger Town has been getting news all over the world, and they know she was with them. She's not hurt or anything is she?"

_"She'll be okay…"_

Bulma's voice seemed to lose some of its edge as she spoke on it, and Hercule could almost see her face fall in his mind's eye.

_"She's just tired and sleeping it off right now. To be honest I'm more worried about how she's coping with the loss of Gohan. She rallied the gang around her and Piccolo, but I think that she's trying to convince herself it didn't happen."_

Hercule felt an instinctual retort ready to burst from him at the mention of the Demi-saiyan who his daughter had claimed to be dating the day before. He was still fuming about that, and had decided he would give him a piece of his mind if he weren't dead.

"She'll live, she's tough. Besides she and that kid haven't known each other for that long, so it's not like they could have gotten close."

_"Wow, you're really naïve sometimes you know that? Whether or not you want to acknowledge it, she is in love with Gohan. It doesn't take a psychologist to see it when they're together, so I know for a fact that she took it hard. I lost my husband, I know what she's going through. You lost your wife, so you should too… It disgusts me that you fail to even realize it."_

Hercule was taken aback by her tirade, and surprisingly enough felt shame weigh heavily on his heart at his words. He didn't have anything to respond with, and she grunted in irritation.

_"Whatever. Keep your head up Hercule, and tell us as soon as you get anything."_

With that she severed the connection, leaving Hercule alone in his silent solitude.

***UNKNOWN PLANET***

Gohan doubled over as the reappeared on the surface of some unknown planet, shutting his eyes against his nausea and breathing deeply through his nose.

_Kami, I hate traveling that way. You'd think that with as much time as they've got, he'd figure out a way to make it less unpleasant. Hell, dad's instant transmission is uncomfortable, but it's at least bearable. _

He glanced to his sides to see both King Vegeta and his Grandfather likewise incapacitated. Shaking the dizziness from his mind, he stood straight and looked around. They had arrived on a mostly desolate planet with dark skies littered with stars. He had trouble making out the features of the rock he was on, but it seemed to be dotted with some sort of vegetation that looked like palm ferns. Kibito clasped his hands behind his back and looked around slowly.

"Here we are. This planet is the source of that blade you are currently carrying Gohan. Beneath your feet is the largest body of Katchin in the universe."

Gohan absently pulled on the strap that weighed down on his shoulder, looking at the rock around him quizzically.

"And this is the planet you chose because…?"

Kibito gestured towards the ground with a small smile.

"Much of the rock you see here is Katchin, the densest natural metal in the universe. There isn't much of it, and by our reckoning, you're standing on about ninety percent of it."

He raised his hand and made a sweeping motion, and suddenly several short pillars lit up all around them with a bright blue flame. Gohan winced and waited for his eyes to adjust to the new light before realizing that they were in a small clearing surrounded by them. In the center of it was a perfectly symmetrical block of it, approximately ten by twenty feet, and standing at waist height to him. He stretched his senses out, trying to see if this world was populated, and was unsurprised to find that the only life here was the vegetation and the new arrivals.

_Call me crazy, but this all looks like it was man made… or was made by something… but who?_

Before he could voice his thoughts, Bardock recovered and knelt down to feel the ground beneath their feet. He looked up quizzically at the Kai and quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Soooo. This planet is the densest in the universe, and we're in some sort of…?"

He trailed off, and all three Saiyans looked to Kibito for an explanation. He strode forward, gently running a hand on the table like structure and began speaking in a quiet tone.

"I do not quite know the history of this place as well as I should. The Supreme Kai was young still when Buu wiped out his predecessors and bretheren, and I am only about a thousand myself. What I do know is that this place used to be the gathering place for the gods of destruction and the Kai's. We are born of the tree of creation, and thereby inherit the qualities it possesses. The Gods of destruction are our opposites, but both are required for good order. What happened at these meetings has long since been forgotten, the last one being at least six million years ago."

"Not to be rude my giant pink man, but this doesn't really help us at all. What I want to know is why this planet is a better choice than the one we were just on."

Kibito halted and smirked, his face taking on a slightly sinister look in the dim lighting of the flames around them. He held up two fingers and stood straight.

"For two very important reasons. First, this planet won't simply break if one of you gets out of hand as the Oozaru."

He paused there, looking directly at Gohan.

"And second – Gohan please do me a favor and remove the Z-sword? Just set it over there if you don't mind?"

Gohan blinked in surprise and looked to the other two, who seemed as puzzled as he did. He hesitantly removed the sword from his back and leaned it up against one of the short pillars, stopping for a moment to watch the light dance off of the scabbard and hilt. The second he did, he noticed something off. The light coming off of the sword was a bright yellow, not blue like the flames just above it. He seemed in a trance at that, staring at the sword, and listening to his heart-beat as its pounding grew in his ears.

"Second, is _that._"

Gohan shook himself out of his trance to look at Kibito, who was pointing at something behind him. The other two turned about and froze, staring up into the sky with wide eyes. He turned quickly, wondering what they were looking at and froze completely at the giant yellow ball of light that glowed down on them.

"This planet has a moon which circles it once every six hours and will be full at least once each time it does. You will have approximately thirty minutes, so I suggest you prepare yourself."

His words slowly began to fade into oblivion as Gohan stared up at the satellite. The pounding of the blood in his head grew louder and louder until his instincts took hold, and everything turned red. Pain filled his body and he let loose a roar of agony as things began to shift. His tail unfurled from around his waist and waved about excitedly, and the transformation began. The sounds of the other two transforming beside him were lost entirely as his last bit of self-control left him, and he transformed.

***BARDOCK***

_That sneaky bastard, springing this on us like that. I'll be sure to give him a piece of my mind._

The rest of his conscious thoughts bled away from him as the transformation took hold, and he growled out in pain. He could see both King Vegeta and his grandson transforming as well, though of the two of them, Gohan appeared to be having the worst of it. He felt himself beginning to grow, and the armor clinging to his body began to stretch uncomfortably. His eyes shut of their own accord, and several agonizing minutes later, it all stopped. He wrestled down his blood-lust like he had been trained to do, and the haze of hormones crowding his mind slowly lifted. He breathed deeply, feeling his senses sharpened to levels beyond anything he could achieve as a normal Saiyan. He opened his eyes and felt the familiar sensation of vertigo as his new point of view fully settled. He growled in anticipation, reveling in the power of just his voice, and looked towards the king, who had also completed his transformation. The king shook his head, and his entire body shook with it, before his red eyes settled on the one they were to be watching.

"**Bardock, be prepared to restrain him. He will be wild."**

With that, he stepped forward and out of the ring of light that extended beyond the circle of pillars, and Bardock closely followed. Gohan had staggered forward in the midst of his transformation, and was currently howling on all fours. His clothing had been shredded in the process, and Bardock knew that he was nearly done. The howling slowly died out and Bardock prepared himself, setting his feet wide and preparing to lunge at Gohan. He lay there panting for a moment until Vegeta stepped forward and began speaking in his powerful voice.

**"Son of Kakarot, you will listen to me now. You must-"**

The half Saiyan turned about as best he could, his glowing red eyes locking onto the king and he let loose a roar that could have split the heavens. His entire body quaked with unrestrained power and anger, and before he knew what was happening, the Oozaru lunged out towards the King, throwing a wild fist at him that struck the king on the side of the head. The giant staggered to the side, but didn't have time to say anything else before the enraged ape was upon him again. Vegeta leapt out of the way just as Gohan's fists came crashing down to the planet, kicking up dust and sending several ferns flying away. He howled in agony and stomped around clutching his hands before locking eyes on Vegeta again. Bardock was surprised by the sudden outburst, and even more surprised by the sheer size of the demi. He was at least ten feet taller than either the king or himself, and his broad form was rippling with muscles.

**"You must calm yourself! Focus your anger, embrace the power!"**

Gohan simply roared right back, clenching his fists to the side and unleashing the full power of his voice. Bardock, sensing that this was going to get them nowhere, decided to intervene. He tapped into his power and stepped forward, opening his maw and letting it forth. A bright golden blast shot from between his teeth and struck the demi between the shoulder blades, staggering him forward and earning another roar of agony. Taking advantage of his off-balance position, both full Saiyans stomped forward and grabbed hold of a part of Gohan. Vegeta wrestled him to the ground, pressing down on his shoulders and keeping his face in the dirt. Bardock grabbed hold of his legs and likewise held those down. Gohan fought for all he was worth, flailing about with his free appendages and trying to push away from the planet. Bardock growled in frustration and tried to get through to the enraged oozaru.

**"Gohan you have to control it! Fight your own instincts, embrace the power you have been given! Contr-"**

He was cut off as the demis tail whipped out and struck him across the eyes, temporarily blinding him. He staggered back a step and clutched at his face, growling in pain. He clenched his teeth and opened his eyes to see Gohan about to push himself back up without his strength added to the king's. The tail continued to flail about aimlessly, and Bardock had an idea. He stepped forward, leaning back once to dodge the tail again before swiping out and grabbing hold of it. As soon as his grip found its mark, Gohan roared out in pain. A pale blue blast shot from his mouth and struck the side of a plateau in the distance, but died out quickly as his strength left him. Bardock squeezed until Gohan was quaking and unable to move.

**"Ugh… I didn't expect him to be so strong. This will be more difficult than I imagined Bardock."**

** "Yes sire."**

Bardock continued to glare down at his transformed grandson, who was panting, his teeth bared and his eyes held in an angry glare. Vegeta looked up into the sky and snorted.

**"We still have time. What do you think we should do?"**

He considered the kings question, listening to his grandson's ragged breathing. In truth, he was at a loss. While it was difficult for most Saiyans to control the Oozaru form at a young age, by the time they reached the same age as Gohan, they had mostly figured out how to harness it's abilities with no loss of control. He'd never dealt with a Saiyan, or a half saiyan at that, who was so difficult to calm. There was absolutely no recognition from the demi for either of them.

Together for the next few minutes they attempted to calm the Demi Saiyan, releasing his tail enough for him to regain some motor function and trying to get him to see past his own hormones. Each time, the demi tried to lash out, only for Bardock to clench down on his tail again and again. Finally, when it seemed that it was going to be a total failure, Bardock released his tail slightly, and was surprised to find that the demi didn't immediately try to rise and strike out. He lay there panting, grunting and staring off to the side where his head was turned. His snarl lessened slightly and Bardock saw his eyes dart about, as if trying to make sense of what they were seeing. He growled and snorted, but didn't try to do anything. He just sat there and looked at them. Hesitantly, Bardock fully released his tail and took a step back, keeping himself prepared to jump forth again. Vegeta did likewise and got off of his shoulders, stepping away and hunching over the demi.

**"Good, good. Do you understand me?"**

Gohan grunted and turned his head. Realizing that he had been released, he quickly pushed himself up to a kneeling position and glared up at the king, but didn't attack. He panted, growling out each time he exhaled. Vegeta knelt down, placing his forearms on his knees and staring right back at him.

**"Do you know who you are, spawn of Kakarot?"**

His only response for a few moments was more grunts, and Bardock watched as his hands clenched and unclenched rapidly. His tail flailed about and his shoulders quaked with rage. Bardock glanced up at the moon and could see the edges of shadow beginning to creep around its side.

_No time left, this will be over soon._

**"G-… Grrk…. Grrrrrr… GRRAAAAAAAAAAAH!"**

Both saiyans prepared themselves to go forth and restrain him again, but Gohan merely turned his head to the sky and roared, pounding his fists against his chest and unleashing a torrential blue blast that streaked off into the sky, blinking out of eyesight somewhere beyond the moon he narrowly missed. Bardock watched the blast disappear, and suddenly felt a jolt shoot down his spine as the moon slowly began to wane. The light dimmed slightly, and he could feel the extra power he had been granted begin to dissipate. Pain slammed into his head and he clutched at his eyes, groaning and shutting them as the transformation began to disappear. Once again he lost his senses as the agonizing minute rolled on until he felt himself stagger forward and his hearing came back. Panting for breath, he opened his eyes and looked across to where the other two were. Vegeta was likewise hunched over, breathing heavily with a thin sheen of sweat covering his face. They locked eyes for a moment before both of them looked down to the demi-saiyan sprawled out on the ground between them at a distance.

_Unconscious? Damn this might take a while. _

As one, the two Saiyans made their way towards the unconscious teen, stopping on either side and looking down on his naked form as he snored lightly. His expression was peaceful, and Bardock knew then that he wouldn't wake soon.

"Bah! Damned fool almost had it! Now we have to wait."

The two of them turned as Kibito calmly walked up to them, his mouth slightly agape and his eyes calculating. He stopped when he was still ten feet away and stared down at the teen. Bardock and Vegeta looked at him expectantly, waiting for the comment they knew was going to come.

"That was unreal. I've seen memories of Saiyan apes, but I wasn't prepared for him to be so… _savage._ I am glad I brought you here, I thought he was still going to break the planet when he hit it. It was all I could do to stay standing through that."

"Yea yea. Say, you think you can dress the brat? I don't quite appreciate looking at his pale ass."

Kibito hesitated, blinking in surprise before pointing at Gohan's sleeping form. With a burst of ki, smoke appeared around him, forming and solidifying just like with the Z-sword scabbard. It took shape and settled, revealing the demi in a set of Saiyan armor similar to his grandfathers, but in black and gold. It was lacking the thigh guards, and only came with a pair of black and gold boots. Vegeta grunted in satisfaction and crossed his arms, stroking his beard with one hand and staring thoughtfully at the demi.

"He nearly managed to get a hold of himself there. When he awakens, we will have to try again."

Bardock nodded and settled himself back onto his rear, crossing his legs and leaning on his elbows. He furrowed his brow, lost in thought about what it was they were supposed to do, but decided that they would have to simply wait.

***LOOKOUT – MORNING AFTER DEFENSE OF GINGER TOWN***

Lime quietly shut the door behind her and turned to look at the sleeping woman in her bed. Videl was snoring quietly, curled up on her side with a pillow clutched to her chest, not even under the covers. In fact, she wasn't even laying with her head at the head of the bed. She was laying sideways on it, and Lime figured she must have just passed out after collapsing on the soft mattress. She simply stood there and watched her sleep for a moment, clutching a hand to her chest with a worried expression dancing on her lips. She looked down at her hand, uncurling her fingers to see the grass ring that she had given Gohan so long ago.

_I'd never known just how painful your loss would be for us all Gohan. I know the others said that we will wish you back, but I can't help worry you won't be coming back. Oh kami, I don't know what I'd do without you. _

Her sorrows had been eating away at her in the days since his death, and now that she knew her village had been slaughtered shortly after... She'd been counting them away. Four days had come and gone, and each one brought new waves of anguish, knowing that he wouldn't be there with his smile or his calm demeanor, and that his parents and grandfather were dead. She had begun wondering how long she'd be able to hold out before she went into a full emotional breakdown. Videl had already had hers when she lashed out at Goku, and pushed back up from it even harder than before. She admired the raven haired heroine for it. All the same, her worry for the woman was plaguing her in her forced solitude until this morning, she decided to do what she could. She was no fighter, but she knew her friends. If there was anything she could do to help, then she would give all the support she could. She quietly stepped forward and seated herself on the edge of the bed, averting her eyes from her sleeping friend's form, instead choosing to stare at her fist where she held the ring. She contemplated what she would say for several minutes until the sleeping form next to her breathed in sharply and turned, bleary eyes peering out through the haze of sleep at her.

"Lime?"

Lime glanced over at her out of the corner of her eyes, allowing her lips to curl slightly into a soft smile.

"Good morning Videl."

The raven haired woman looked about the room, as if trying to get her bearings, before pushing the pillow away from herself and pushing herself up into a seated position, trying to rub the sleep from her eyes. Her voice was still thick with tiredness as she groaned at her sore muscles.

"Ugh… What time is it?"

"I can never tell up here… Early morning I suppose?"

Videl dropped her hands, leaning back on them and blinking herself awake even more. She looked quizzically at her friend with a slight frown.

"What's up? You alright?"

Lime was slightly taken aback by the question. She'd come here to try and ask the same question of her. But when she thought about it, her answer through and through was a resounding "no". She chose to hide the fact that she was hurting so bad and sighed heavily.

"Actually, I came here to see if you were okay."

Videl glanced down at herself, looking slightly disgusted that she had slept in the clothes she had fought in. Her blue shirt and yellow jeans felt stale and looked sooty, and she didn't seem pleased by it one bit.

"Well, I need a shower and a Tylenol, but I think I'll be okay."

Lime turned her head to look at her with a slightly amused expression, but it fell quickly as she looked into those cerulean eyes. It was impossible to miss the haunted look in them, and they'd slightly lost the fire behind them. They simply weren't as bright.

"Videl, that's not quite what I meant… It's… I feel like my heart has been thoroughly trampled, and each day it's getting worse."

She returned her eyes to her hand, still clenched around the ring in her lap.

"But for all the loss we all feel, I worry about you the most. So I have to know, how are you really doing?"

Videl didn't respond for a long time, and the two of them settled into an uncomfortable silence. Lime continued to stare at her hands, and Videl was fixated on something on the ceiling. After a moment she let out a quaky breath, and Lime looked over to see that the dam had cracked, and tears were leaking from the sides of her eyes.

"Broken. Everything hurts on me, and more than physically. It helps when I'm doing something, I don't have to think about it that way. But these times of quiet, of _waiting_…"

Lime nodded her understanding, knowing exactly what she meant. It seemed to be that that was all she could ever do. _Wait._ Videl blinked a couple times to clear her eyes and wiped her cheek with a gloved hand with a sniffle. She turned to look at lime and her lips quivered as she tried to form a smile.

"I keep hoping it's all a dream and he'll walk back through that door with Vegeta and 18 in tow and it was all some cruel ploy. But I know it's not. Even if Goku was right, this still happened. I'm still going to be haunted by it."

Lime grasped her shoulder firmly, pulling her in for a hug. Videl hesitated a moment before returning it, and before either of them knew what was going on, they were both crying and trying to gain a hold of their emotions. It didn't last long, and Videl was the first to recover, sniffling once more and gently rubbing a hand along her brunette friend's back.

"Soon this will all be over, and everything will go back to the way it was."

Lime heard the echoes of her earlier thoughts in her mind, and her worries that it would never again be the way it was flooded out.

"What if it doesn't Videl. It might not be that simple."

Videl held her out at arm's length and actually managed to work a weak smile onto her face. She seemed embarrassed for a moment, as if trying to decide whether or not she should say what was on her mind.

"When I was unconscious after the tournament, I was… eh… called? I'm not sure how to describe it, I had a conversation with someone in my head, and it wasn't my voice or even an imagined voice. It was as real as your words."

Lime felt her mouth part in surprise and she looked into her friends eyes, skepticism filling her at that. But no, the raven haired woman showed no signs of disbelief herself, only hope.

"It sounds crazy Lime, I know, but I swear it was real."

"So… What did it say?"

Videl's eyes grew slightly distant, and a faint pink hue tinged her cheeks as she remembered it.

"That… Gohan will have to face his worst enemy soon; himself. He said that Gohan will fall into his primal state and that it would be up to… the one who bears his mark? He said that _I _was the key. I don't really know what he meant by that, but it gives me a reason to keep going."

Lime could only stare at the girl in shock as her words washed over her. No doubt Videl had paraphrased a lot of it, but everything she said clicked into what she knew about Saiyans.

_Primal state? She couldn't mean… Oh shit he told me about something like that, what was it… O-… Oozaru? Something about his tail and a full moon? And his mate would bear that mark, but like I said before, she doesn't have it. But if she's the key then that means she will!_

Excitement and hope flooded out from the black hole that was where her heart used to be, and she found her breathing coming in quicker than normal. She looked seriously at her friend, shocking the girl slightly at her sudden change in demeanor.

"Videl, do you know who the voice was? Did he give you a name? Anything?"

Videl seemed stunned and unsure what to say, and instead just shook her head. Before either of them could comment further, there was a loud knock at the door and it opened part-way to reveal a shorter black man that Videl had only seen in passing. Lime cleared her throat and stood, facing him.

"Mr. Popo! What's up?"

The genie looked between the two of them with impassive eyes before settling on Videl. She felt her skin crawl slightly at the look of complete neutrality on his face. He held out one of his pudgy hands towards her and bowed his head slightly. In his outstretched palm was a tiny green bean, roughly the size of a Lima bean that was perfectly smooth on the outside.

"Miss Videl, I've come to inform you that Bulma received a call this morning from your father, it would appear that the capital of the North has come under attack by Buu. Piccolo just brought a batch of Senzus from Korrin tower that he's been growing over the years, and requested that you eat this one and join them. They will be leaving soon."

Videl quickly stood at the mention such a major city being attacked but then pulled up short next to the genie at the mention of the bean. She looked down at it skeptically before turning her gaze towards Lime. The brunette seemed to be in a state of awe as she looked down at it.

"A senzu? Gohan told me those were really rare! They're supposed to have incredible qualities, accelerating your healing exponentially and effectively giving you enough energy for months at a time in a single bite!"

Videl blinked in surprise, gently picking the bean out of Popo's palm, ignoring the cold feel of his skin and staring at the little green thing before her eyes. She felt Popo's eyes on her as she contemplated it.

"You should eat that miss. It's not a particularly strong one if I may say so myself, but you will feel much more alive after you do."

Hesitantly, Videl placed the bean between her teeth and bit down, and almost gagged at the flavor of it. Somewhere between cardboard and salt if she had to guess. But as soon as she started chewing it she felt a strange sensation. Her limbs began to feel more solid, the aches in them dulling, and her mind lost all sense of tiredness. She swallowed it and after a few short seconds, it seemed to hit her full force. Energy shot through her, her senses growing sharp and her limbs stopped aching completely. Her stomach no longer felt full, but it didn't feel empty either. She felt _alive_.

She clenched and unclenched her fists, staring at them in amazement at how acute her own sense of her body had become. Mr. Popo smiled at her, showing the first sign of emotion that she had seen from him yet, and Lime was carefully watching her reaction.

"You should go now, or they may leave without you."

Videl jumped back into awareness, shaking her head and stammering out her thanks as she ran for the door and turned up the hall. Lime watched her go with a lot running through her mind. She replayed the conversation they had been having, and felt a pang of guilt when she realized she hadn't brought up what she knew to the girl. Mr. Popo noticed her disturbed look and clasped his hands behind his back, looking at her with his ever-neutral glare.

"Miss Lime, is something the matter?"

"Huh? Oh, no Mr. Popo, I'm fine… Just thinking."

***THIRTY MINUTES LATER – SOMEWHERE TO THE NORTH***

Videl shielded her eyes against the cold air blasting into her face as she struggled to keep up with the others. Piccolo was the farthest ahead, and had already shed his white cape and turban. Tien, Yamcha, Android 17, and Krillin followed close behind, leaving her to bring up the rear. Despite the Senzu she had just eaten, and the wondrous burst of energy it gave her, she was still struggling to match their speed. Krillin glanced backwards to see her lagging behind a bit and slowed himself down just enough to fall in line with her, giving her a worried look.

"Hey! You alright?"

Videl looked sideways at him, gritting her teeth as a fresh burst of cold air slipped past her hands to her face.

"How do you deal with the wind? This sucks!"

Krillin hesitated a moment, blinking his eyes twice and looking forward of himself. Videl peered at him expectantly, and vaguely noticed a warping effect of the air in front of him, which seemed to flow around him without hitting him directly.

"Umm… To be honest I'm not really sure, it kinda just goes around?"

He smiled apologetically at her before another voice cut through the wind towards her, and she turned to see Piccolo next to her with an irritable glare on his features.

"Just push your ki ahead of you as well as behind, you'll part the air before it hits you. We're going even further north, so you'll have to use it to warm yourself if you need it."

Videl gaped at him, wondering if he was serious. A faint pale blue aura surrounded him, flying past him like so many flames caught in the wind. She shut her eyes and concentrated. She already had a hold of her ki, which she had learned how to do on a whim, so she figured it couldn't be too difficult. She felt the flow of it as it shot straight back from her, propelling her forward, and focused on sticking some of it in front of her at the same time. The response was immediate and drastic, as she slowed down dramatically, the other two shooting past her. It wasn't until then that she realized how fast she had actually been flying. She could hear Piccolo shouting back at her from a distance.

"NOT THAT MUCH!"

Slightly embarrassed, she relented some of the ki before her and forced even more through her feet, regaining her lost momentum and surpassing it so that she was gaining ground again. She caught up and laughed nervously at the critical glare Piccolo gave her and the amused smile on Krillin's face.

"Better?"

She blinked a couple times and gently parted her hands in front of her face, realizing that she was no longer being battered by the wind. It was still present, but she only felt like she was sitting in the passenger seat of a convertible on the highway instead of a pressure washer. She grinned wide and nodded her head, looking back at Piccolo gratefully. The Namekian merely grunted and returned his attention ahead of them, again taking up the lead of the pack. Videl watched him go, slightly ashamed by the apparent disappointment. Krillin flew in close and nudged her with his elbow, earning her attention and smiling apologetically towards her.

"Hey, don't take it personally, he's always been pretty harsh about performance and whatnot. He knows your limits, you can't just power up and not have things touch you like we can, that takes years of practice. On top of that, he's now the strongest being on this planet, so it's kinda falling on him to make things work. Big guy is under a lot of pressure."

"Shut up and keep up!"

The distant call from him brought the two of them out of their conversation with a cringe, and they realized they were being left behind quickly. Krillin immediately forced more energy out, and a white aura burst up around him, rocketing away from her. She stared after him in amazement before gritting her teeth and pushing herself even harder, exploding forward with speed in an attempt to keep up.

They were at it for a while longer before the landscape below them changed from rocky mountains to a wide channel of water, to a frozen tundra that extended out for as far as Videl could see. The land below them passed by rapidly, and videl wondered just how fast they were really going. It wasn't long before they could make out a sparkling jewel of a city nestled against the coast. The view would have pleased Videl, if it weren't for the armada of Naval vessels parked just off the coast and the plumes of smoke rising from the glass buildings. She caught up to the others, who had halted in the air and were staring down at the city with wide eyes.

She panted as she slowed herself to a stop in between Tien and Piccolo and glared down at it, hearing the hollow boom of naval guns echoing through the air. Piccolo grunted and clenched his fists, earning their attention with the small noise.

"This is it guys. This city is much larger than the last one, so we'll have to search it. Pair off and find that bastard. 17, go with Videl. Krillin, you got Yamcha. Tien you're with me. Everyone move out, and if you find anything, flare your ki."

Videl gulped past her own nerves, glancing at the black haired android, who just looked at her with an impassive expression. With a quick nod to each other, they all split off and shot down towards the burning city.

***CENTRAL CITY***

Hercule was abruptly grabbed by the shoulder by a small hand and pulled out into the hallway as he exited his room. He yelped in shock and caught himself before he could stop, searching for the source of his sudden lurching.

"Mr. Satan, we need to get to the embassy now!"

The tiny, boy-like voice of Chiaotzu pierced his senses, and he spun his head around to find him floating in the air next to him, no longer wearing the formal garb he had been wearing the day before. Now he wore a gi of some-sort, with a blue tank top and black trousers. He wore traditional fighting shoes and his head was topped with it's ever-present cap, and his face was formed into an angry snarl. It startled Hercule to see such a look on his normally impassive face, even more than the fact that he was _floating_ next to him.

"Wh… Wha?"

"No time! I'll explain on the way, but we need to go now!"

Without another word, he shot up the hallway towards a tall window next to the stairs. Hercule blinked after him a moment before sprinting after him, only hesitating a moment as the window seemed to shatter on its own just before the little emperor actually touched it. Not giving it too much thought, he jumped over the sill, only to remember that he was on the second floor of the Government building where he was staying. His eyes widened and he flailed his arms comically as if trying to flap his way into the sky. A second of heart-stopping panic later, he felt himself being tugged about by the back of his gi, and watched the ground below him pass by at a steady rate, gaining altitude and heading further into the core of the city. He looked up and saw the little emperor staring back at him with a grimace and holding onto the back of his gi.

"Eh… Heh heh… sorry…"

Chiaotzu simply shook his head and pressed on.

"So what's going on? Why did you drag me out of there so quick, and _why are we flying around like this?!_"

He thought he felt himself slipping out of his gi and grabbed the front of it in a panic, and felt a jolt as they lost a tiny bit of altitude. Chiaotzu growled impatiently and Hercule felt his gi tighten around him as the short man twisted the fabric between his fists.

"Would you hold still?! I'm not going to drop you Mr. Satan! Sheesh. We're on our way to the Embassy, something feels wrong there. I was monitoring them, and the king's guard all dropped out suddenly there, as well as the king. I think someone has attacked the building."

"B-But all the world leaders are there right now! If someone was trying to take them all down…"

"I know! That's why I'm going there now!"

"But why do you need me?! I can't fly or do any of those fancy light tricks like your friends! What if they have guns?!"

Chiaotzu deadpanned at him, and Hercule felt heat rush to his cheeks as he was silently told to shut his mouth. He mumbled out an apology, scratching at his stubble and returning his gaze to the ground below them as they approached the Capital building.

"Besides, I can handle the guys with the guns, you have a much better use than fighting. You're going to have to be the voice of reason if it's needed! No matter what I think of you, you have a power over the people that I could never possess, I suggest you use it."

Hercule gulped and nodded, seeing the building come into view. Sure enough, out in front there were two guards sprawled out on the ground, unconscious or dead, he couldn't tell. They dropped to the ground, and Hercule settled himself onto his own two feet unsteadily before rushing over to the two of them and feeling the pulse of the first one he found. He sighed in relief when he felt the faint pumping of blood, and turned his head to face the door. He mustered his courage, burying his fear as adrenaline rushed into his system.

"Right, let's go!"

Chiaotzu floated before him as he ran into the building, making his way past the empty receptions desk and up a flight of stairs towards where the conference room they had been in earlier was. A commotion caught his attention, and he heard several booted feet rushing down the hall away from them. He turned a corner to see several men in black fatigues and body armor disappear around the far corner, barely spotting the glare of metal over one of their shoulders before they disappeared. Chiaotzu rushed past him and headed after them, glancing at Hercule over his shoulder.

"I've got these guys, you get to the conference room. There's several people in there, I'll join you once I've got them dealt with."

"Right."

With that, he rushed down the hall after him, hanging a left in the middle of the hallway and bursting into the conference room with a loud crash as he barreled through the door. The scene inside caught him off guard completely, and he felt his senses go numb.

"Yes, you may fire when ready Captain."

"_Aye aye, Sir."_

Hercule immediately took note of his surroundings. There were several unconscious forms about the room, four of them being embassy guards judging by their uniforms. Several more were men and women he recognized as either embassy staff or the world leaders who were at the meeting the day before. Of the five men still standing, four of them were dressed just like those that he had witnessed rushing to the ground floor. Hercule immediately recognized the body armor and uniform of the northern military, as well as the sub-guns they carried in their arms, which were now pointed all directly at him. The lone man turned slightly to see him standing there gawking at him and gave him a weak smile. On the screens before him was infrared footage from some drone taking in the city scape of the Northern Capital in all its glory. Hercule had been told already by phone that the city was under attack by King Furry, which he immediately relayed to Bulma little more than an hour ago, so it was no surprise to see the white hot beacons of flames on it.

"Ah, Mr. Satan, it is nice of you to join us. Please, come in."

The voice that drawled out at him struck the warning bell in Hercule's head, and he stubbornly remained where he was as the four soldiers moved in around him. He glanced around at them all, looking for an opportunity to present itself.

"Joseph, what are you doing? What in the hell have you done?"

The Prime Minister turned sideways on to look at him, his expression full of regret, but his eyes full of determination.

"I'm doing what I must Mr. Satan, for the greater good. I regret that I had to resort to such methods to keep us all safe, but I cannot allow for weak-minded fools such as your king to prevent what must be done."

Hercule felt anger boil in his chest as the sorrow-laden words reached out to him. It didn't take a superior intellect to work out what he meant.

"Did-… Did you just give the order to launch a _nuke_?!"

That only earned a heavy sigh from the old man, who turned his attention back to the screen as the drone continued to circle the city. Hercule could see the Naval ships close to the coast beginning to tug away from it in preparation, leaving the City open to the horror that was about to be unleashed upon it. He could see the white hot masses of people rushing towards the coast or inland, seeking an escape from the monster that had made it into the heart of the City. Hercule gritted his teeth, glaring daggers at the man.

"All of those people! _Your _people! You've just sentenced them to death!"

Joseph didn't turn around to respond this time, only hanging his head.

"Their deaths were determined as soon as we heard they were under attack. My own family, my wife and two kids, are still there. I would rather they die a painless, instant death, than to be devoured by that monster."

Hercule glanced around him again, noting that the four soldiers were extremely close to him now. Two seemed to be pushing in closer from behind to try and restrain him, and Hercule acted. He shot one leg out behind him in a kick, snapping one of the men's legs backwards with a sickening crack and a wail of agony. He immediately reached behind him and grabbed the second man, throwing him with all his might at another. The soldier crashed sideways into his comrade and together the two of them crashed to the floor, with one of their weapons shooting off a single round. A loud ping rent the air in two immediately after the gunshot, and the final soldier dropped his weapon in a panic as the round punched right into the open bolt of his own weapon, jamming it open and vibrating his fingers raw. Hercule wasted no time, lunging forward and swinging his open palm in a knife-hand strike that found it's home between his chin and armor, and he too collapsed with a gurgle and choking noise. Hercule spun to go after Joseph and try to reverse his order. He was Hercule Satan, known world-wide for defeating Cell, and arguably the most influential man in the world. If he could tell the captain of that ship to stop, then it had to work! He found his target, only to find that he was looking straight up the barrel of a large revolver held at eye-level on him. He froze in place, knowing that he was one wrong move away from seeing his head from the outside in.

"Mr. Satan, I'm disappointed in you. I've had such respect for a man of your status, saving the world and all. Surely you can see that we have to do this?"

Hercule looked for a way out, glancing left and right for a way to take the old man down. It wouldn't be difficult if he could get past the gun pointed at his face, and he knew Joseph was no slouch with a weapon.

"Don't even think about it Mr. Satan, you are surrounded."

"Wha-"

A loud animalistic huffing was heard right behind him, and Hercule stood stock straight as hot, humid air blew across the back of his neck. He turned his wide eyes about slowly and found himself staring right into the beady eyes of an enormous brown bear wearing a collar. Ivan stood on its hind legs, towering over Hercule and grunting down at him, baring its enormous claws at him as if challenging him to do something.

"_Prime minister, there's something new. We're trying to make it out now."_

Joseph furrowed his brow and turned back to the screen, holding the comm button on the radio he was holding.

"What is it Captain? Where?"

Hercule only half paid attention to him, looking between the bear and Joseph, and contemplating what he was supposed to do.

_Man, I wish that doll-kid were here. He looked like he could do those light things. I bet he'd take care of this bear._

"_It's on the feed now sir."_

Hercule hesitantly looked back towards the footage and felt a chill crawl over his skin. It had split into three different views, each apparently coming from a different view-point of three different locations of the city. Each was zooming in to take in three pairs of figures flying over the city, glowing a bright white.

_The guys! Shit, they're gonna be caught in the middle of it!_

Joseph gaped at the footage, staring hard at them as if trying to decipher what he was seeing. His hand holding the gun lowered to his waist, and he pointed at the screen, turning his shocked expression to the younger fighter.

"What the hell is that?! They're flying! How are they flying?!"

Hercule hesitated a moment, breathing heavily as he tried to find the words to say. He had to stall him, somehow get away from the bear and stop the unfolding disaster before it happened.

"They're my special forces! Those are the guys who are gonna take down Buu!"

The Prime minister glared at him incredulously, glancing at it again. Hercule looked to it as well, seeing two of the figures land on the top of a sky-scraper, looking over the edge for something. A jolt of recognition shot down his spine, closely followed by panic as he made out the form of that black haired short guy and his daughter. He felt himself grow cold on the inside, and pleadingly looked up at Joseph.

"That's my daughter there! That one on the building! Please, call off the nuke! They can handle Buu!"

Joseph stared at the image, his gun pointing straight down at the ground again, and for several seconds nothing happened.

_"Sir, should we hold off? I believe these are those people who saved that Ginger town place."_

Joseph flinched at the voice, looking at the device in his hand. His eyes found their way to Hercule, and he saw the indecision in them. Seconds passed like hours until he sighed, looking thoroughly defeated. He held the device to his face and pressed the button.

"Negative Captain. We must take no chances, fire the missile."

Hercule gasped in horror as the words escaped the old man's lips, and his anger boiled up in him once more. A wall burst in from behind Joseph to reveal Chiaotzu, his eyes wide and his gi dotted with holes. Joseph wasted no time, spinning the gun around to point at the Emperor. Chiaotzu immediately pointed a finger at the man, and a narrow beam of yellow light shot from the tip of it and straight into the chamber of the gun. The chunk of metal exploded in his hand, leaving a mangled mess where his hand used to be. The bear behind him roared at the sound of his master's scream of agony, and Hercule took his chance. He crouched low and looked up, seeing the bear still towering over him. He jumped as hard as he could, extending his fist in a punch and spinning around so that he was facing the bear. His fist crashed into the jaw of the beast, knocking it's head backwards with a loud snap and silencing it mid-roar. Seconds later, the bear toppled over backwards, with Mr. Satan landing on his feet right next to him, rubbing his knuckles with a snarl on his face.

_"Missile has been launched sir, impact in two minutes."_

Hercule felt his heart jump into his throat at the words, and he spun about to find the communicator on the ground, dropped by Joseph as he cradled his nub of a hand, whimpering in pain as he lay on his side. He quickly grabbed up the device and crushed the button on the side, screaming into it in desperation.

"This is Hercule Satan, you need to stop this! You can't nuke the city, it will do no good!"

Static came over the line for a second before the Captain seemed to realize who he was speaking to.

"_Mr. Satan, what do you mean? I had direct orders from my Prime Minister to proceed with the attack. It was ordained by the council under your name."_

"No No NO! Don't you get it, he acted without us at all! He attacked the council and gave the order against our will!"

Silence once more. When the voice came back over the line, it was laden with heavy sorrow, and held such a grim tone that Hercule felt the lump in his throat expand.

_"I am sorry Mr. Satan. There is nothing more I can do from here. Impact will be in thirty seconds."_

"No…"

He glued his eyes to the screen. The footage zoomed out to a drone opposite the coast from the City, and he could just barely make out the contrail of smoke left behind by the missile trailing off into the distance, beyond the naval vessels and no doubt from a submarine. It cut out suddenly, and he lost track of the missile. The drone quietly crawled along, and he felt the seconds ticking by, anticipation and dread building in his gut. A faint white lite flashed through the center of the screen, mere seconds before the entire image turned completely white and cut to static.

He felt his breath catch in his throat as the black and white static rolled across the screen. The device in his hand crackled into life once more, and the faint voice of the captain came through, choked by regret.

_"Kami forgive us… Confirmed detonation."_

Hercule dropped the device, hearing it clatter on the floor as a hollow emptiness exploded in his chest. His eyes burned suddenly, and he looked right at Joseph, who continued to stare at his mauled hand in disbelief. Rage boiled over, and Hercule felt himself willing the man to hurt. He wanted him to burst into flames and burn forever. He began walking towards him, clenching his fists until he could feel blood dripping down from the tips of his fingers. His teeth gritted as he clenched his jaw shut, and he snarled out one word that caught the old man's attention and drained his face of what little color there was to begin with.

"_You…"_

**A/N: Aaaaaaand Cliffy. Sorry folks, but you'll just have to wait for the next one to see what happens! I hope this was satisfactory for you all, and that the direction I'm taking Mr. Satan and the others is approved. More so, i'm hoping that you are all still trying to guess exactly what it is I have planned for Gohan. I'll not say anything about that though, as it will be a surprise when it does happen. Until next time, drink your milk, don't run with scissors, and have a nice day!**


	34. Trapped

**Well alrighty folks, here we are again. This one was actually finished a week and a half ago, but I didn't get around to editing until today. I got an ad-hoc promotion of sorts at work (you know, the kind where your boss leaves permanently all of a sudden and you have to pick up the slack for several things that you have no clue how to do), so unfortunately time has been limited for me. Nonetheless, I've got this ready for you and I hope you enjoy it. Now some of you who have seen the original Dragon Ball series will notice something rather unusual about this chapter, and don't you worry, you'll definitely know it when you see it. For those of you who haven't, I assure you I didn't just pull this one out of my ass. Now, on to the story! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 34: Trapped**

***NORTH CAPITAL***

Videl and 17 floated high above the streets, peering down into the chaos below as they searched. People flooded out from the many tall buildings that made up the dense metroplex, blending their screams with the sounds of explosions as detonations of naval shells ripped through the air. Videl glared out at the Armada with a snarl, anger building in her chest.

"Those bastards are firing blindly! They won't hit Buu like that, just the civilians!"

17 glanced out of the corner of his eyes at her, his neutral mask shifting slightly to an irate frown.

"The people down there are likely going to die anyways, and ultimately their demise is inconsequential. We need to focus on finding Buu."

She turned her glare to him, shocked that he sounded so heartless.

"How could you say that? We're here to try and save these people!"

"Not me, I'm here to kill Buu. If you guys don't like it, then y'all shouldn't have wished me back with the Dragon balls after Cell."

Videl pulled up short at that, staring at him incredulously. He quirked an eyebrow at her and continued to descend towards a Skyscraper that loomed over the coast.

"What? When Cell died, I went with him. They wished for everyone to come back to life, and so I did. Doesn't mean I'm suddenly going to be a goody goody like my little sis. Just be glad that we're still fighting the same person."

Videl landed next to him and glared over the side of the building to the streets below, searching for the tell-tale sign of pink amongst the locals. Her mind dragged her back to the footage of the Cell games for a moment, remembering that Android 17 wasn't present there. Additionally, from what she was able to gather from his sister, _she_ had been spat up by Cell after a particularly hard blow to the stomach. But her brother hadn't. So_ that_ made sense to her, but brought up another question that itched at her mind.

"That reminds me, that red-headed guy who was at the games… The one who fought Cell before Gohan? I think Gohan said he was an android too right? Where is he? We could use his help right about now."

17 quirked an eyebrow at her, and for the first time he appeared to be baffled as to how to answer her question.

"Not sure. He was destroyed during the Cell games, but as far as I know he was purely machine. 18 and I are technically Cyborgs, humans that had machine added to them. There was no humanity in him to begin with, so I doubt the wish would have actually brought him back."

Videl considered his words, still scanning the streets below them. Masses of people were rushing towards the coast, and she glanced up to see the Navy slowly pulling away. She recoiled in shock, wondering why they would be leaving if there were so many people they could save. She was about to bring it up to 17 when he pointed down towards the ground.

"THERE! I've got you now you bastard!"

With that, he jumped off the top of the building before Videl could stop him, darting in the direction he was pointing earlier. Videl reached out her hand to grab him, but only caught air.

"Wait 17! SHIT!"

Focusing inward, she grabbed hold of her ki and attempted to "flare" it as Piccolo had said, only to realize she hadn't the slightest clue how to do so. She growled in frustration before she had an idea, holding her hand straight up in the air with her palm up, and unleashing a blast that rose fifty feet in the air and exploded. Satisfied that that should have been enough to get the others' attention, she returned her attention to the ground, searching for the android. She spotted him as he slammed into the ground, no doubt locked in battle with Buu. She prepared to jump when something caught her eye from the corner of her sight. She looked out to the sea and saw, beyond the Armada of ships that continued to retreat from them, a faint white trail of smoke that led up to a minuscule black dot surrounded by a halo of yellow flames. She stared at it in bewilderment for a moment, trying to decipher what it was she was seeing.

She rose into the sky, staring down at the object as it closed the distance, and slowly realization began to set in. Her eyes widened fully as the missile closed to within a couple miles of the coast, trailing the white smoke trail the whole way.

_No! No no no noNONONO! THAT IS _NOT _A NUKE! _PLEASE _TELL ME THAT THEY DIDN'T DO THAT?!_

She felt herself freeze at the realization, sweat breaking out on her brow. She barely recognized the arrival of Piccolo, who shot straight past her and directly towards where 17 and Buu had disappeared, closely followed by Krillin. Tien passed her up completely and shot straight for the Nuke. Yamcha stopped right next to her, shaking her shoulder and yelling something at her that passed right over her head as she stared at Tien's form.

_He can't be serious… Is he doing what I think he's doing?_

Sure enough, he halted roughly a mile outside the edge of the city, floating over the water, and staring directly at the oncoming projectile. It was close now, within twenty seconds of passing right through her and surely destroying the entire city. Yamcha tugged on her shirt, and she blinked away her shock, looking at him fully.

"VIDEL, WE HAVE TO GET DOWN FROM HERE! LET HIM HANDLE THIS!"

"He's… How is… He's going to die…"

Her voice came weakly from her own throat, reflecting the horror she was feeling at their apparent imminent demise. Yamcha glanced over his shoulder at his friend before grabbing Videl's wrist and dragging her down towards the streets below. She couldn't tear her eyes from Tien now as he stood straight before the missile, now less than a half a mile away from him. He arms were held out before him, and even over the chaos below she could hear his roar. She could practically feel the energy he was putting out, and stared in awe as her feet touched the ground. Yamcha screamed out to the crowd as she regained her footing, and she looked right back up at Tien.

"EVERYONE GET DOWN!"

A faint flash of light shot out from Tien's outstretched hands and connected with the front of the Nuke, and it seemed for a second that nothing would happen. But then the projectile seemed to tumble in the air, and disappeared in a flash of white light that blinded Videl. She shielded her eyes and waited for the shockwave that would bring her death, but it didn't come. A hollow boom rolled through the streets, and she heard the shattering of windows all around her, but there was no flash of heat. There was no immediate death, in fact if it weren't for the knowledge of the chaos around her, it could have been a balmy winter day outside. She peeked through her fingers and blinked in shock at what she was seeing.

An enormous blast of golden energy was emanating from Tien, forced outwards in a wide cone. She could see the fireball that was created by the Nuke, which appeared to be channeled by the blast upwards and away from the city. The only thing she could make out of his figure was a black silhouette against the raging inferno that consumed the sky above him. A huge plume of smoke extended up into the sky, and she could see the shockwave expanding out into the distance, forcing the clouds aside and pushing the water of the sea before it in a large swell. But besides the minor levels of destruction around them and the dull roar of the explosion, it seemed to have missed the City entirely with its destructive power.

"No way…"

_ I just survived a nuclear detonation… From less than a mile away…_

__ Screams and a short person running into her shoulder brought her rapidly out of her dazed state, and she looked around her. People were now running from the blast in fear, trying to find their way inland. Yamcha grasped her shoulder briefly before shooting up the street, just above the crowd of people. In the distance she could see a pink figure fly straight through the base of the building she had been standing on before, and shook herself into action. She jumped into the air and followed him, determined to help in whatever way she could. She neared the building and found Piccolo, 17, and Krillin all there, each of them looking worse for wear. Yamcha barely touched down before turning, and with a sudden gasp dashed back into the air in the opposite direction.

"Hey! Where'd Yamcha go?"

Piccolo didn't look at her, but growled out his response while staring at exactly where Buu had disappeared.

"He went to retrieve Tien. Poor bastard fell after that stunt he pulled."

She glanced up to the sky where he had been and realized that Tien was no longer there. The only thing that remained was a huge black cloud of smoke that hung over the city, casting it in shadow and making the air shimmer with the heat that radiated from the detonation point. A deep growl that echoed through the buildings brought her back to the present, and she joined the others in staring right at where the monster had disappeared into the building.

"Hmmmm, you are strong… You are the same ones who fought Buu before!"

The voice made her skin crawl, and she knew he was addressing the others that had finished the other Buu off. What surprised her was his speech appeared to have improved drastically, indicating his intelligence had grown. She dreaded the implications of that and wiped the nervous sweat from her brow.

"Not this time though. Now, Buu has outsmarted you. Buu has beaten you all!"

She vaguely noticed some movement from within the building, and sank further into her stance as he appeared. First was a hand grasping the edge of the hole he had punched in the building, closely followed by a head that slowly came into the light. The pink angler dangling before his face just barely obscured those solid black eyes that blankly stared up at them all, and the feral grin he gave them once again sent fear into her heart. He emerged from the darkness, glaring up at them all and calmly walking out onto the pile of rubble. His upper body was still outrageously huge in comparison to his legs, and he planted his fists on the ground for support, but what shook her the most was his size. Where the one they had killed before was barely the same size as krillin in stature, this one was much larger than herself. If she had to guess, at his full height he was probably the same size as Piccolo. A fact which seemed to contribute to the other three's hesitation.

"Look at you, so scared of Buu. You've seen Buu's power, you know. You can't beat me."

Videl mustered her courage and stepped forward, pointing directly at the pink monster, who shifted his glare slightly to look right at her, his grin growing even wider.

"We already killed you once Buu! You're going to go down again!"

"Oh really? You really think so?"

His haughty question brought out an uneasiness in her worse than before. She felt the others next to her tense nervously, and Piccolo growled in frustration.

"Videl-"

"MMmmmmm Buu can still taste that first one. Such intelligence, such _power. _The blonde one gave so much to Buu! Such memories too. Buu remembers you _girl_. Satan. He was so attached too."

She felt her face begin to slide into horror as she realized what he was getting at. His eyes narrowed dangerously even as her own began to burn, looking at him. The pit in her chest deepened further.

"Videl, you need to get out of here. Go find Tien and-"

"Does it hurt? Did Buu make you _mad_? You want him back?"

His eyes snapped open wide and he let out a loud laugh, shocking the others. They could only watch as he tugged on the top of his head, dragging his massive fists down the front of it, stretching his own head. He pulled his hands apart, and with a loud snap, released it. What resulted in it was a sick imitation of Gohan's face. The shape was right, he'd even managed to form a head of mock hair on top of it. But those black pits that served as his eyes were still there, and the pink material of his face made it all look horrifyingly wrong. He managed to put a very Gohan-ish smirk on the Xerox and confidently drawled out in a slightly smoother voice.

"You can have him."

Bile rose in her throat at the vision, and she turned away, trying to force that and her tears back. She sobbed violently once before she heaved, dropping to her knees and expelling the limited contents of her stomach over the street surface. She heard Buu laugh uproariously, but was unable to control her quaking body. She could only glare down at her knees through her blurry vision, until he paused in his laughter, growling out excitedly.

"HAHAHAAAA! Oh, this is precious! How does one like him want a weakling like you?"

She clenched her fists, spinning her head towards him and wiping her lips with the back of her hand.

"SHUT UP YOU STUPID SADISTIC BITCH!"

That only served to start his laughter once more, and Piccolo had decided he'd had enough. He shot his front arm forward, with two fingers extended, and the same corkscrew-like beam darted from them and straight towards Buu. Videl didn't even see him move, but suddenly he was no longer standing before the blast. It punched clean through the building and out of sight, until Videl could make out an explosion far in the distance beyond the edge of the city. Buu's maniacal laughter echoed through the streets, and the three Z-fighters quickly formed up around her, each looking out a different direction while she tried to gather her wits about her.

"We have to get out of here. Videl, get back to the lookout, they're not safe there anymore. If he has Gohan's memories then he will know exactly where to look. Krillin, 17, we need to get to Tien and Yamcha."

"What the hell is with this Buu? He's a hell of a lot smarter, and stronger."

Krillin's anxious question was answered by the screams of more people running through the streets and the maniacal laughter of Buu. His voice echoed out to them, seemingly from everywhere at once, and he was addressing the Z-fighters.

"Buu has eaten his fill now, it's almost time to end this world. But you Five are such tasty morsels, how could Buu pass this opportunity up? And once Buu is done with you, Buu is going to go to that platform where you think your friends are safe, and eat them too!"

Videl felt the blood drain from her face as she stood up, and noticed the others react similarly. She couldn't hear exactly where the voice was coming from, and it only served to make her more anxious. She glanced up as two more figures landed next to them, facing outward with them. Tien looked pale and a sheen of sweat covered his body, but he seemed fine otherwise. Yamcha landed next to him, visibly shaking with something between anger and fear. Piccolo and the others acknowledged them with a quick look over.

"Alright Tien?"

"Been better. Plan?"

"Don't have one. Ideas?"

"HOW ABOUT THIS ONE!"

The animalistic roar that emitted from all around them brought them all on edge, but none of them were prepared for what happened next. The ground beneath them began to swell outwards, causing them all to stagger slightly before a crack formed in the center of it, with a bright pink light peeking through. Videl's eyes widened as she looked through the crack, straight between her feet, trying to understand what it was she was seeing. Yamcha spun on the spot, kicking her in the stomach, and she felt a rib crack under the force of the blow. She didn't even have time to react as she was sent flying backwards to land on her back, just as the blast beneath their feet exploded from the ground below them, shooting straight up with an incredible boom. The strangled screams of Yamcha rang through the air until the blast died out, taking him with it. Videl cracked her eyes open to see the other four Z fighters had managed to avoid the blast, but there was no sign of the Bandit. She was suddenly grabbed by the arm and spun her head to see Krillin, who forcefully pulled her to her feet.

"Come on, we have to go!"

"What about Yamcha? What about the others?!"

"He's gone! We have to get back to the lookout before Buu does!"

The realization that Yamcha had sacrificed himself to save her sent a cold chill through her veins, and she couldn't even find it in herself to do anything as Krillin began dragging her through the air. She looked down at the spot where the street had been destroyed, seeing the forms of Piccolo, 17, and Tien shouting something to each other. A bright pink blur appeared from out of nowhere, traveling at speeds that Videl could barely track, and expanded to impact all three at once. The last thing she saw of them before she was dragged out of viewing range was a bright gold blast from one of the fighters that exploded on impact with Buu, sending a shock wave through the city, and with deep rumble, the buildings in the immediate vicinity began to topple in on themselves.

"Videl come on! We have to hurry!"

Finally regaining some of her senses, she shook her head and grasped onto her ki, throwing it behind her and picking up speed with Krillin's help. She breathed quickly to try and rid herself of the panic growing in her chest, and glanced behind her to the rapidly disappearing city. Several of the buildings that used to fill the sky with their glory were toppling down, kicking up a huge cloud of dust. She could still make out masses of people leaving the city by foot or car, but she knew that it was only a matter of time before they too fell to the beast. Once again, she felt completely helpless. She turned her teary eyes towards Krillin, who was likewise looking behind them with the most furious expression on his face that she had ever seen.

"That bastard! We had no clue… There was no way…"

"Are they going to be okay?"

He stared hard at her for a moment, and she knew by his lack of a response exactly what he was sensing. She tugged on her hair in frustration, averting her eyes from him and kicking herself in her mind.

"Oh kami… Why? Why am I so useless?"

Krillin grasped her wrist, pulling her hand away and forcing her to look at him. His expression was still strained, but his voice had softened a bit from before.

"Hey, none of us were ready for this. We need to buy time now, so don't go falling apart on me okay? I still need you in this fight."

She took a shaky breath, trying to calm her nerves and do as he requested, and merely nodded her head. Together they sped their way back towards the lookout, hoping against hope that they would get there in time.

***BACK AT THE CAPITAL***

Android 17 could only watch as Buu sped towards them, suddenly expanding to become a giant blanket-like shape that loomed over all three of them. At his side, Piccolo threw his hands forward, emitting an enormous golden beam of ki that impacted Buu right in the stomach, or rather in the middle of the blanket. It detonated with a colossal explosion that tore away the lower floors of the buildings surrounding them, and he heard them groan as they began to collapse. Buu folded around the explosion and flew back the way he came with a pained growl. The three of them shot forward to try and capitalize on him while he was down, only to find that he wasn't. He grinned at the three of them and shot his hands out, his arms stretching until a clawed hand found its way around 17's and Piccolo's throats.

"WHO'S FIRST?!"

Tien continued towards Buu with a war cry and retracted his arm to throw a blast. Before he could though, Buu whipped his head around once, and a bright white flash of light emitted from the angler on his head. The beam struck Tien center mass and a gasp escaped his lips before he disappeared. In his place, a miniature brown statuette of him continued on its path towards Buu, whose head extended forward on his neck to catch it. His teeth bit down on it and with a sickening crunch, Tien disappeared in a storm of flying spittle and crumbs. 17 Growled out in pain and horror that he hadn't felt since Cell and brought his arms down as hard as he could on Buu's stretched out forearm. The material stretched and groaned, and with a final burst of ki, snapped beneath his hands. He dropped to the ground and pried the hand off of his neck, which seemed to be acting on its own.

"YOU BASTARD!"

He flung the limb away and threw his arms out before him, preparing to unleash all of the energy he could muster.

_To hell with these people, this son of a bitch is going down!_

He pulled up short though when he saw the other arm choking Piccolo suddenly retract until the Namekian was mere inches away. Buu stood to his full height suddenly, and before either of them could react, slammed the Namekian face first into his chest. His pink body began to morph, and 17 could only watch in horror as it seemed to reach out with tendrils and grasp the back of the Namekian's head. His muffled screams could be heard over the deep rumble of a growl Buu made, closing his eyes in satisfaction. He didn't even seem to notice that his other arm had been snapped off and was laying on the ground, squirming like a worm. Piccolo threw a fist at the body he was stuck to, only to have that limb sink in and get stuck as well. More tendrils snapped out of Buu and around him until he could barely be seen anymore. Soon there was no sign of the Namekian left as he disappeared entirely into Buu, along with his screams.

17 gaped at him in open fear, sweat pouring down the sides of his face. The whole time he had watched it happen, he was forcefully reminded of his own time being absorbed into another being. It was not a pleasant experience, in fact it had been the most horrifying thing he had ever gone through. Buu threw his head back and roared, and he began to change before 17's eyes. He began to grow taller in stature, and his body seemed to even out. His posture became more erect, and his head seemed to come apart from the shoulders, extending his neck. When the scream stopped, Buu stood there with a satisfied smirk. No longer did he look like an over-grown gorilla. He looked lean, powerful, and very humanoid. When his eyes opened again, there was now a red iris in the center of it. The chills that ran through 17 froze him in fear as those dim red eyes found him, and a very sadistic smile appeared on his lips. Buu tilted his head to the side, and began speaking in a voice that practically dripped venom. It was still raspy, but much deeper, and no longer was it the speech of a child.

"MMMMmm what do you think? Have I made a good improvement? Ooooh that green man, that _namekian,_ was so satisfying. To think that I now have all of his knowledge, all of that _experience._"

17 took a step back, staggering slightly as his foot slipped on something roughly the same consistency as petroleum jelly. He glanced down and saw to his horror that the hand he had severed was now directly under-foot.

"N-n-no!"

"Hmmmm, but you're different aren't you? An… Android hm?"

17 quickly extracted his foot from the goo and took more steps back, returning his horror filled eyes towards Buu. The creature appeared to be slightly put out as he considered him with a sideways glare. He rubbed his newly formed chin and narrowed his eyes at him.

"Ah. Yes, I remember now. The blonde lady! She was your sister."

He sneered down at the android, who stiffened at the mention of his twin and settled back into a fighting posture. 17 gritted his teeth and glared up at the creature, his fear pushed to the side by rage.

"Oh! It seems that I've pushed the wrong button on you haven't I? Tell you what, I'll send you to see her."

17 clamped his eyes shut and shook his head. He screamed his rage to the sky and locked eyes with Buu again, all traces of fear gone. There was a flash of light from the android's eyes and Buu disappeared into a cloud of smoke. 17 took to the air and once more threw his hands before him. He poured his remaining energy into them and glared between his palms at the cloud, waiting for Buu to emerge. At the first sign of pink, he unleashed the blast with a loud cry and watched as it headed straight for Buu's smug grin.

"TAKE THIS YOU PINK PIECE OF SHIT!"

Buu merely grinned up at 17 and concentrated beam of ki directed at him. As the blast neared, his jaw dropped, and his mouth widened until it was nearly two feet in diameter. 17 watched, revolted, as his maw stretched wide like a snakes, and the blast disappeared into the depths. The android smirked and relented the blast just as he felt his remaining reserves begin to dwindle and Buu disappeared into a cloud of dust and smoke kicked up by several buildings as they collapsed from the force of the blast he had unleashed. He sagged, staring down at the plume of smoke and breathing heavily through his mouth.

_Arrogant piece of shit, he made that too easy. Now I have to spend who knows how long building that energy back up. Hell that was at least a couple years-worth of built up savings unleashed right there… I'd better get into hiding and bid my time, there's bound to be more of him el-… WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!_

He gasped in shock as the dust settled enough for him to see through, and Buu was still there. He had expanded to a huge scale, ballooning out quite literally into a giant ball. His head was perched on top comically and the little nubs of his hands and feet wiggled about on the sides. His eyes were wide and his mouth was clamped shut. They locked eyes and 17 almost had the urge to laugh at his appearance, despite the horrible truth of the situation. He instead settled on growling in frustration. Buu's eyes shifted into a concentrated glare, and suddenly several pin-sized holes on his head and what 17 assumed to be his shoulders widened, and a huge jet of steam shot out of each one with a loud tea-kettle whistle.

17's eyes watered at the foul stench that suddenly filled the air, and he had to hold his nose to avoid taking it full blast. Buu shrank and shrank for several seconds until he was once again his normal size, standing there looking up at the android with that same sadistic grin. He opened his mouth and emitted a loud burp that rang through the air, and a white puff of steam accompanied it. It suddenly dawned on 17 how utterly screwed he was.

"That was interesting, I have to ask, without that bomb supplying you all your energy, just how dry are you running?"

17 clenched his fists and glared down at Buu, sweat continuing to pour from his brow and down his back.

"Go to hell!"

Buu smirked and crossed his arms before him, tilting his head to the side and narrowing his eyes at the Android.

"Not in your wildest dreams _Android_. I'll gladly send you there myself, but before I do… A parting gift…"

He trailed off menacingly and pointed to his own cranium with a claw, his sneer never leaving his face.

_What the hell is he doing?... Oh… _Ooohhhhhhh.. _Shit._

He felt more and more powerful ki signatures, identical in nature but of varying strengths, pop up all about the planet. He was shocked to feel the sheer numbers of them, ranging somewhere in the eighties if he had to guess. His eyes widened and he glared at the horizon, scanning about. He tried to measure the overall strength of them, but failed miserably. All he could tell was that he never stood a chance against them all. None of them did. To believe that he could take Buu on himself, or even with the help of everyone else, was just a wild dream.

"We are done now, it is time. I will reform to my former glory, and _nothing _will stand in my way!"

17 gaped at him, his fear clutching at his throat once more as he saw the being crouch down low. The sneer fell away to a snarl, and before he knew what was going on, Buu shot out at him. He wasn't moving as a whole, it started with his head, and he seemed to thin out into a stream of ping goo. He shot straight up, and directly into the open mouth of 17. Miliseconds passed like an eternity as Buu forced his way inside the android. He could feel the creature seeping into every part of him, shooting white hot blades everywhere he touched. The agony was unbearable, freezing him in place with pain until he felt his chest expand rapidly. He felt his ribs part from his spine and each other, tearing at his insides and blinding him with agony. The last thing he heard before total blackness took him was a mad cackle from within himself.

***SOMEWHERE OVER MT. PAOZ, TWENTY MINUTES LATER***

Videl and Krillin were moving as fast as they could, though the girl suspected that Krillin was still holding back so as not to get separated. With his assistance, Videl was moving faster than she had ever imagined she could go. She'd have celebrated, were it not for the anxiety and pressure building in her chest as they pulled closer and closer to the Lookout. It didn't help matters that Krillin had gasped sharply shortly after making it over the coast, glancing in every direction before she tried to get his attention. When she had asked what else had happened, he just gulped and shook his head, his complexion paling considerably. Now they were over the 439 mountain area, and she knew their journey was close to being done, and Krillin suddenly grumbled to himself. Videl wiped the sweat from her eyes and peered through the haze she was in to see him glaring ahead with a grim look.

"Krillin what is it?"

He looked back at her, and suddenly seemed lost in thought. His brow furrowed and he nodded to himself.

"I was right earlier, Buu's stopped hiding. I can feel him joining back together as we speak. This is… This is bad, we don't stand a chance against this thing. And now, there's nowhere safe. He knows about the lookout."

Videl nodded her head, grimacing and swallowing past the lump in her throat. She could have guessed as much from the way things had been progressing, and she wasn't surprised in the least now. She was still reeling from the staggering blow they had taken minutes ago.

_It's over. I've tried to deny it since Gohan died, but it's finished! We won't survive this!_

She glanced over at Krillin, who appeared to perk up at something and returned his eyes to the front with a shocked look on his face. Videl felt her nerves jump again and looked at him worriedly.

"Krillin?"

Nothing. He didn't even seem to realize that she had spoken. She felt the panic rise in her chest once more and reached out to shake him.

"_Krillin!_"

Again no response. She glared ahead of them, wondering what it was he was looking at or sensing. He shook his head and muttered something along the lines of "if you say so" before noticing that she was shaking him in a panic.

"Krillin don't do that to me! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

He seemed nervous for a second before groaning despairingly and grasping her shoulder. She recoiled at the touch, looking at him in fear.

"Hey! What are you-"

She was silenced as he swiftly hit her in the side of the neck, knocking her unconscious. She fell limp, and he deftly caught her, cradling her slightly larger form and dropping in altitude. He landed within seconds at the edge of a forest, and next to a familiar lake. He gently set her down in the sand on the beach and placed a hand over her forehead, speaking softly to her with a choked voice as he tried to convey his words straight into her mind.

"I'm sorry I had to do that Videl. It seems that you're more important than I originally thought, and I can't risk you following me up there when Buu is after us. When you wake up, I hope you'll be able to remember what I'm saying. Shin's asked me to hide you and Dende, so I'll do what I can. Find your way to the Son home, stay hidden. You can kick my ass later if I return, but I have to go."

He stood and took to the sky once more, glancing back down at the unconscious girl before bolting away as fast as he could.

"Man, I hope you know what you're doing Supreme Kai."

It only took a couple of minutes to make it to the lookout, and to his surprise, almost everyone was out on the surface looking over the edge. Roshi, Dende, the demon trio, and Popo were all gathered at the front, and looked extremely nervous. The others seemed worried, and that only seemed to intensify when Krillin arrived. Wasting no time, he landed on the platform and ran up to them, forestalling any questions with a panicked wave.

"No time! Buu's on his way here, you guys can feel it right?"

Erasa and Sharpener visibly began to panic, clutching to each other with little Marron stuck in the middle, obviously confused by everything that was happening. The other non-fighters seemed as stricken, but managed to hold in their own outbursts. The three kids, Roshi, and the guardians all nodded their understanding and looked to Krillin for a plan, all of them already knowing what had happened down in the city. Lime removed herself from her surrogate mother's clutches and rushed forward with a pleading look on her face.

"Krillin, what happened down there? These guys wouldn't say! Is Videl alright? Piccolo? Yamcha?"

Krillin bit his lip and shook his head violently, forcing himself to stay calm as he looked up into her strained expression. Lime visibly paled along with a couple others from the group, and their expressions collectively fell to the floor. Krillin gave them a moment to let it sink in before clearing his throat and bringing his own voice under control.

"Videl's okay, but I had to hide her. Dende, can you sense her? I need you to join her, the supreme Kai wanted me to relay it to you. Go into hiding, keep her safe until Gohan gets back with the others. Don't ask me how they're getting back, we just have to trust him this time."

Most of them were too stunned to do anything in response. Krillin could understand their hesitation, because the same emotions had been stirred in himself when the Kai had contacted him earlier. Joy, hope, fear, such a potent mix of sensations and emotions at once, it had taken him several seconds to come out of it. Many of them looked like they had seen a ghost, but the little Guardian nodded his head and glanced around at the others. He locked eyes with Bulma and got her attention by clearing his throat. Despite the sweat on his brow, his voice was quite calm and collected.

"Bulma, I'm going to need the dragon balls to come with me. Do you still have them in your possession?"

The bluenette froze for a second before rapidly searching herself for her capsule box. She pulled it out her sweat-pants and fumbled with it for a second, aware of all the eyes on her. She pulled out a little yellow capsule and tossed it to the Namekian with a grimace.

"What about us? What are we going to do?"

They were interrupted suddenly as a bright pink beam of ki burst through the building behind them and flew into the sky, destroying the structure almost in its entirety. They all spun around to face the sudden destruction and stiffened. It was time, Buu had come.

"My lookout! No!"

Krillin growled and grabbed the short Namekian by the shoulder, spinning him around to face him directly and pointing over the edge of the lookout.

"GO! We're out of time! Popo, go with him! Get to Videl and hide her! I'll try to buy you as much time as I can!"

He spun around to face Bulma, who had frozen in fear.

"Bulma, take Marron and the others, and get the hell out of here! Don't go to capsule corp., try to find somewhere safe!"

"Daddy!"

The little blonde girl had begun crying profusely and struggled her way out of Erasa's grip, running over to her father and crashing into his gut, wrapping her arms tightly around his middle as far as they would go. Krillin gently pried her off of him and embraced her with a firm kiss on the cheek. He muttered something too soft for the others to hear and held her out for Erasa, who ran over to grab her as everyone burst into action. Bulma quickly pulled another capsule out of her pack and unleashed a streamlined jet from it, which immediately opened up for them to rush inside. Krillin tried to ignore the frantic pleas of his daughter and turned towards the smoking wreck of the lookout, feeling the immense power that had appeared there. He scanned the structure for Buu as he heard the engine roar into life. Dende's ki disappeared completely alongside Popo, and to his relief, the three demi-saiyans had willingly gone with their mothers. It caught him by surprise however, to feel his old master's ki to the right and behind him. He turned his eyes that way and sure enough, the old Turtle hermit stood there, shedding his shell and staff.

"Are you crazy Master Roshi?! You do know that this is suicide right?!"

Roshi's moustache twitched, and he continued to shed clothing, until he was only clothed in his beach shorts. He truly looked the lean old man, after all he was incredibly old. Sunlight glinted off of his sunglasses as he stared right at where they knew Buu to be, and cracked his knuckles.

"Yup! If all of my pupils have made their last stand today, then the Master shall make his! I've still got some fight left in these old bones, might as well make use of it!"

Krillin groaned but didn't argue. He reasoned it wasn't really going to matter anyway. He glanced over his shoulder as the roar of engines filled the air, and the jet slid off the side of the lookout, instantly dropping out of sight as it began its descent. Suddenly, it was all quiet on the lookout. Krillin feared for a moment that Buu would chase after them, but his ki was still in front of them. The smoke continued to rise from the central building of the lookout, and Krillin could now hear footsteps. He and Master Roshi both settled back into defensive stances, facing down Buu as he appeared. Both of them gasped at him when he did. He stepped out of the smoke, and both of them had to crane their necks up to look at him in full.

"Krillin, he's a bit bigger than I thought."

Krillin swallowed and nodded in agreement. The last Buu he had seen was big, as big as Piccolo, but this was unreal. Buu now stood somewhere between ten and fifteen feet in height, and his appearance had changed drastically. He had gotten rid of the hunched over hulk-like form, instead adopting one which closely resembled a human's. He was still only adorned in those baggy white pants with the majin belt buckle, but nothing else was the same. His eyes now had a bright red iris that burned into them, and his calm sneer was nothing like what they had seen him wear before. He radiated confidence, power, and intelligence.

"Boo. It's the boogie man…"

The two of them recoiled at the powerful bass that was his voice, still scratchy and gravely but far deeper than before. It told them just exactly how intelligent he had become after absorbing Piccolo, and Buu laughed at their nervousness.

"I see you're a bit surprised! What can I say, Piccolo has imparted onto me an intelligence I was utterly lacking before."

Krillin powered up, desperately looking for any way to stall the monstrosity before it decided they weren't worth his time. He glanced at Roshi, who suddenly expanded with muscle he hadn't had before, allowing the full force of his ki through his body. The old hermit clenched a fist and pointed the other hand at Buu.

"Listen here you young whipper-snapper! You're not getting by this old man without a fight! You'll have to get through me if you want to eat those people!"

Buu simply sneered and laughed at the comment, glaring down at the old hermit.

"Like you could stop me! You, who have lived a fraction of the time I have, who could never even dream of being able to compete with me? Very well, once I'm done with you, I'll just move on to the rest of the fish in the barrel! And when they're all gone, I'll just move on to the next planet."

"Oh yea? Just you wait and see, you're going to be up to your neck in raw power soon, _then_ we'll see who's done!"

Buu tilted his head sideways, seemingly racking his brain for something as he stared at Krillin. A menacing smile crept onto his face, and the two fighters opposite glanced at each other nervously.

"Hmmm, so you're convinced that this… Gohan is going to save you? Or Goku?"

He smirked at their incredulous expressions and tapped the side of his head at the temple.

"It's all in here. Piccolo's memories are here for me to use as I wish! You forget, I've already killed Gohan once, and he was supposed to be the most powerful living being in the universe!"

Krillin blanched as he saw Buu seem to start connecting the dots.

_Please don't remember the dragon balls. Please don't remember the dragon balls. Please don't remember the dragon-_

"That little Namekian! Where is he?!"

_Shit!_

Suddenly Krillin noticed something behind Buu. A single door, the only one still standing where the building on the lookout used to be. Realization dawned on him and he nudged Master Roshi in the side, nodding towards it.

"Hey Roshi, you think you can do that evil containment field thing on Buu? I have a crazy idea that just might work."

"You gonna fill me in or-"

"Just do it when I say to okay! We're only going to have one shot at this."

_Oh please Dende let this work…_

"Scheming are we? Go on then, give me your best shot."

Buu stepped forward and held his hands out at his sides, challenging them both with his aggressive posture. Krillin silently thanked that Buu was as arrogant as he was powerful. They would require complete surprise if this was going to work. He felt Roshi gather his ki, taking off his sunglasses and sinking into a horse-riding stance. Krillin nodded and shot forward, as if he were about to take a swing at Buu. Buu smirked at him and waited. Just as Krillin was getting within range to strike, he held his hands at the sides of his face, fingers splayed out, and screamed the name of Tien's attack.

"SOLAR FLARE!"

Light shot around him and straight into the eyes of Buu, who stared at the short monk in shock before trying to shield his eyes. He clawed at his face, growling out in rage as Krillin shot straight past him and towards the door. He looked back to Roshi and grasped onto the handle.

_Please still be there please still be there._

"NOW!"

He pulled the door open and felt a flood of relief as a bright white light came pouring out of the inter-dimensional door.

_YES!_

He stood aside and watched as the bright gold beam of energy shot from Roshi's fingers and straight towards the blinded creature between them. Buu shook his head and peered through half lidded eyes for his target just in time to see the beam hit him. His eyes widened and the beam expanded, becoming a torrential stream of ki that looped through the air, dragging him with it. Krillin cupped his hands in front of his mouth and tried to make himself heard over the screams of Buu and the roar of the wave cutting through the air.

"IN HERE ROSHI!"

The hermit screamed out in pain and directed the wave through the air and straight into the open door to the hyperbolic time chamber. The pink blur that was Buu flowed directly past Krillin, and he locked eyes with the being just as he entered the chamber. Krillin allowed a moment for his confidence to shine through as he passed, and grinned evilly down at Buu. Seconds later, he disappeared entirely and Krillin slammed the door shut. Knowing that things were far from over, he leapt backwards into the air and chucked a ball of ki downwards at the door, and the entire area went up in smoke. He shielded himself from the blast as a huge cloud of ash and smoke billowed out from it, and Buu's ki disappeared entirely.

Silence fell on the lookout as the echoing boom of the explosion died out, replaced by the faint clatter of debris falling to the white tile. Krillin blinked down at the place the door used to be, looking to make sure it was gone for good. When the smoke cleared, he was greeted with a smoldering pile of rubble. He paused a moment to let it sink in, daring to hope that he had actually succeeded. He dropped to the lookout, right next to a dumbstruck looking Master Roshi, who had collapsed back down to his usual bony physique. They stood in silence, breathing heavily and staring at the place where the door had been.

"Holy shit that worked!"

***CENTRAL CITY – WORLD EMBASSY***

"_You_!"

Hercule was beyond livid. He stomped over to where Joseph lay, cradling his stump of a hand and whimpering in pain. He roughly grabbed the old man by the front of his suit and lifted him off the ground, slamming him into a wall and snarling at him through bared teeth.

"Do you realize what you've done?! You just nuked your Capital! You just killed the only chance that we had to survive this mess! YOU JUST KILLED MY DAUGHTER!"

The old man quivered in fear and pain, but couldn't muster a proper response. Hercule growled in rage and frustration and began pummeling the man senseless. His fists came down on his face a dozen times before the old man passed out fully and collapsed sideways without a sound. He kicked the man one more time as he lay on the ground unconscious, and his head lolled around without any support.

He glared at the screen across the room that still only showed static, and felt his heart plunge into the ground as his rage dissipated. He gritted his teeth and buried his face in his hands, lamenting the loss of his daughter. It wasn't until Chiaotzu spoke that he remembered the little emperor had returned to the room.

"I don't think that they're dead Mr. Satan."

He turned an incredulous eye towards the pale midget and scoffed at him.

"How can they not be? They were in the city when that thing went off! You saw the video!"

Chiaotzu nodded and gave a small smile to the aging fighter.

"Yea, but you forget who was there! No man-made weapon is going to kill them if any of my friends have anything to say about it. Besides, I can still feel their ki out there! I'm telling you, they're still alive."

Hercule blinked at him stupidly, trying to grasp what it was he meant.

"Ki? Feel it? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Is this some of those little tricks you people can do?"

Chiaotzu rolled his eyes but nodded his affirmation. Hercule wasn't totally satisfied with that, but decided to give it a chance. If the little man was being truthful, then it was his only hope that they were alive. If they were alive, then they would need help. After all, being next to an exploding nuclear bomb had to have some bad effects on them right? Which meant that he needed the others to make the calls to their respective generals and get them mobilizing. He quickly went about the room, slowly raising the people that were scattered about, and giving one of the unconscious soldiers a kick in the ribs as he passed them. He found his way to King Furry, who slowly pushed himself to his knees and rubbed at the back of his head where a lump was forming. Additional security came swarming into the room and taking the downed soldiers out, and three teamed up to try and drag Ivan out by his clawed feet.

"Ugh… What happened?"

Hercule gently helped the old dog to his feet with a firm frown on his face, indicating towards the fallen Prime minister.

"That idiot brought some friends and decided it would be a good idea to take matters into his own hands. His Navy launched a nuke at his capital."

"What?! What the hell are you talking about? Last thing I remember was gathering everyone up, then it all went black! How long have I been out?!"

Hercule steadied the king and pressed him into his chair, where the old dog buried his face in his hands in pain.

"Yea, that guy's soldiers knocked you all out to get to the comms in the room without your interference as soon as he heard that his city was under attack! He told them to launch a nuke, and they did! And right when my special forces showed up there too!"

His own fears bled into his voice, which the king noticed all too quickly, and the old dog seemed to gain a grasp of his senses suddenly. With wide eyes, he grasped Hercule's arm and forced the man to look at him with a grim expression.

"Did they get out in time? Was your daughter among them?"

Hercule nodded, feeling his grief spike in his chest and battle with the hope that she wasn't dead like Chiaotzu had said. He blinked back the tears that threatened to push their way out onto his rough cheeks and cleared his throat quickly.

"B-But this guy, Chiaotzu says that they survived the blast! I don't know how, but he's friends with my special forces guys! And he took out a team of those soldiers that were running about the halls! He was doing all sorts of crazy-"

"Yes, yes Hercule, I'm familiar with his associates, as well as yours."

Hercule gaped at him a moment, wondering how the King could know of them at all much less _know_ them. He wondered then if the King knew of their… _powers. _He wrung his hands nervously, looking hopefully at the king.

"So… Uh… Do you think he's right then? Could they have survived?"

The king pulled on his tie wearily until it came undone and unbuttoned the top button on his shirt. He leaned back into the chair and closed his eyes.

"If Goku's friends were there then they would have found a way. After all I've seen that man do, even as a child, I know better than to underestimate any of them. They're alive, that much I can feel certain about."

The old dog glanced around the room at the rest of the still disoriented people before glaring up at Hercule.

"And don't forget that I too know about your little charade. 'Twas only the fact that I didn't want to steal away the people's hope that I didn't uncover you the day you made your claim. I'm glad I didn't, you've served quite the purpose in these times."

Hercule averted his eyes shamefully and scratched at his cheek, not noticing as Chiaotzu made his way over to the two of them.

"Uh… Y-yes sir. Thank you for that."

"Guys, there's a problem. A _big_ problem."

The little emperor's shaky voice drew both of their attention and they turned to look at him. His usually stoic face was adorned with a look of utmost horror, and his eyes were darting about as if he were seeing something dancing about outside of the building. King Furry stiffened in his chair and reached out to grip the small man's arm.

"What is it Chiaotzu. What do you see?"

"It's… It's the others… I c-can't sense them anymore."

Hercule felt his jaw drop and stared incredulously at the little man.

"What do you mean _you can't sense them_?! You just said they were there a minute ago!"

The little emperor swallowed past the lump in his throat, beads of sweat now forming on his brow.

"All I can sense is Buu. He's _everywhere._ He's dropped his defenses, he's out in the open, and I think he's reforming! The biggest one is where the others were at that man's capital, and it's just getting bigger!"

King Furry deflated back into his chair, staring off into space directly before his nose.

"Kami help us…"

***SACRID GATHERING WORLD***

Gohan felt his senses coming back to him once more and stifled a groan as he moved to open his eyes and sit up. His limbs felt heavy, and his mind clouded. He slowly managed to part his eyelids to find nothing but the void of space above him, darted with millions upon millions of stars. It was such a breathtaking view that he paused a moment just to look up at them.

_Incredible. Man, I wish that the others could see this._

At that thought, he suddenly remembered what he had been doing before, and sat upright quickly. A quick scan of his surroundings revealed that they were still on the planet Kibito had said served as the gathering grounds for the Kai's and Gods of destruction. He blinked a few times, trying to remember what happened. He was still lost in this state when a familiar voice shook him from it.

"It gets easier over time you know. I remember when the prince was growing up, the king had to beat him into the dirt for a very long time before he managed to gain control of himself."

He turned his eyes to find his grandfather seated behind him cross-legged and staring intently at him. It again dawned on Gohan just how much his father looked like him. He vaguely remembered one other Saiyan he met when he was a child that looked like them, but decided that that was a question for another time. He felt a pull at the corner of his lips and moved to push himself up to standing. He hesitated when he noticed that he was now layered in black and gold Saiyan battle armor. He looked down at it, slightly puzzled as to why, before he remembered that he had only been wearing a navy blue gi when he had arrived. He remained on the ground instead of standing fully, and just turned himself about so that he was facing his grandfather.

"How long was I out?"

Bardock smirked and glanced behind him, and Gohan could barely make out the forms of Kibito and King Vegeta standing among the light pillars, talking animatedly about something he could only guess.

"A lot less time than I think the King expected. Only an hour or so. I myself am quite surprised you have recovered so quickly. Back on Vegeta, it would have been blasphemous to have a half-breed child of any sort, but it seems that you half-human Saiyans are quite remarkable."

The praise stoked Gohan's pride, but he restrained himself from showing a reaction. He nodded quietly and set his jaw determinedly.

"Did I… How bad was it?"

Bardock leaned back on his hands and rolled his head, eliciting a loud pop from his neck and smirking at the demi.

"Nothing your grandsire couldn't handle."

Gohan hesitated at the choice of words, but felt his face crack into a smile at the amused expression on Bardock's face. It wasn't until this point that he noticed a bright red mark beginning to swell around his grandfather's right eye. If he was bothered by it, he didn't let it show.

"Actually, I fear to find out how powerful you would be while fully in control of the Oozaru. But then again, if you were in control, then I'd have nothing to fear."

Gohan sighed and felt the smile slide off his face. He reflected on what he was doing there, and felt a tug on his stomach, like he knew he was doing something wrong.

"I despise having to do this grandfather. The only reason I am is because I know how useful having my tail can be."

Bardock frowned at that, considering his grandson with his head cocked to the side.

"Why? Why be ashamed of your heritage and the power within your veins?"

Gohan felt slightly put out at those words, and averted his eyes. He thought back to the times where the Oozaru had come forth from him, and his lack of memory during those times. The only things he knew about then was that he had gone berserk, and only the quick thinking of the people around him had saved the planet from him.

"It's not shame grandfather, it's fear. The same fear that drove my mother to remove my little brother and sister's tails. The same fear that drove Vegeta… Er… The prince, to remove Trunks'."

"The same fear that has been holding you from your mate then?"

Gohan felt his eyes snap wide open and gaped at the older Saiyan, who just looked at him with a knowing smirk.

"Wha-… How did you-"

"Besides the prince telling me the situation himself, I knew something of your predicament a short while ago. Don't ask me how, I'm not going to tell you. Just suffice to say that I know, and I can't figure out why you're stalling."

Gohan truly didn't know what to say. He just gaped at him as he tried to process the information. He pondered the question, trying to find the answer. Days before, it would have jumped out immediately at him. He was dangerous, completely overwhelming in power, and when he thought about it, not the greatest personality. He was paranoid and more than a little selfish. But none of those reasons seemed to justify why he was still holding back from Videl anymore. It was as if his dying thoughts had removed the shackles.

"Look Gohan, I don't expect an answer from you. It's a very personal matter, I know, I've been there. Just listen to me, and take my words to heart. If she is worth it, then you'll know. You'd go to hell and back just for her, and if she were to ever be hurt by anyone, that person would pay for it with their life. When you come to the conclusion that she is going to be the one to bear your children, to be mated with you until death take you in battle or in old age, then there is nothing to hide from. Do not fear what you could do, because with your mate, you are capable of so much more. Just as you gain an enormous boost from your tail and the full moon, your mate will be your driving force. Your will. Your pride. Your life. Don't let it escape you."

He considered the words in silence, thinking about the raven haired beauty he had grown so attached to. He had said it to himself, he thought he loved her, just as she had claimed she did him. But he couldn't help wondering if perhaps it was just a temporary infatuation. It was new to him, and he didn't know what love of this kind was supposed to feel like. What if he unknowingly dragged her into a much more serious relationship than she wanted? Where would that leave them if it all came crashing down? His worries were evident in his expression, because Bardock snapped his fingers at the demi, an irritable scowl on his face.

"That. Right there. Lose that. That sort of uncertainty is exactly what is going to hold you back in _everything_. Controlling the Oozaru requires willpower that few can actually master, and if you can't master it in this form, you won't in that one."

Gohan blinked in surprise at that. It seemed so odd that this man, his grandfather who had only just met him a short while ago, could see through him so. He knew that his greatest shortcoming was his own uncertainty about his emotions, so he had erected a barrier of confident coolness about him. Yet here he was, saying exactly what Gohan had known about himself for years. Strangely, it formed a small pit in his chest, like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. But for the life of him, Gohan could never seem to find the confidence that he displayed outwardly.

"You nearly managed to gain some sort of consciousness there. My guess is that soon you'll find it within yourself and gain control, at least to a degree, of your power."

At that moment they were interrupted by the arrival of King Vegeta and Kibito. The large Kai seemed thoroughly put out by something and was staring off into space, while Vegeta glared at the demi. The king crossed his arms and cleared his throat to announce his presence.

"Brat, there's been a new development, and you're not going to like it. Pinky here has informed me that this Buu creature has already made his move, and that things are getting worse on Earth."

Gohan immediately jumped to his feet, looking hard at the pair of them, who flinched at the power of his stare.

"What?! What happened? Kibito!"

The kai breathed deeply to gather his strength and looked the demi dead in the eyes.

"Buu reformed, and there have been casualties."

He paused there, obviously hesitant to say the next part, but pushed on anyways.

"Most of the earth's fighters have already fallen, with the only survivors being Videl and Krillin. Don't worry just yet, none of your non-fighter friends have checked in to Yemma's place yet and have gone into hiding. The others; Piccolo, Tien, Yamcha, and the Androids, have already passed the gates and are currently with the North Kai, upon his request."

Gohan couldn't help the wave of cold shock that washed over him at the revelation. A deep burning fire in his gut exploded outwards with his pain, and with his sense of loss. He unknowingly transformed into a super saiyan as the outrage washed over him. He clenched his fists and attempted to control his breathing.

"DAMMIT! While I've been wasting time here, they've been needing my help! If Buu has already made his move then I need to go back and stop him!"

All three of the others stepped back from him as the raw power of his aura thrashed about them. Bardock and Vegeta both looked at each other and nodded. They flared their own power and transformed, their auras bursting up around them and pushing back against Gohan's. Kibito, who was suddenly surrounded by all three of the Super Saiyan's raw power, had to step back while shielding his eyes. King Vegeta growled out over the dull roar of their combined auras and cut off the demi before he could say or do anything.

"Which is _why _I've decided to accelerate things. It's risky, but we have to try again! There's no sense sending you back if you're just going to get killed in the process! The Supreme Kai says that your friend Krillin has managed to secure the being in something called the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, but doesn't know if it can hold him or not! So calm down brat and we'll get back to work!"

Gohan gaped at him, wondering if he had heard properly or not.

"The Hyperbolic Time Chamber? You're sure?"

He looked to Kibito, who simply nodded at him. Gohan felt his outrage begin to leave him and his aura dissipated, until it vanished completely, leaving his blonde hair and teal eyes in place. He relaxed his hands and both the full blooded Saiyans let out a heavy breath they had been holding, powering down as well. He locked eyes with the King again, controlling his breath and letting raw determination flood him.

"Nobody else dies if I can help it. How long do we have?"

Kibito answered for the King before he could even take a breath, drawing the demi's eyes back to him.

"We don't know for certain. Best case scenario, he's trapped within that dimension indefinitely. Worst case, he finds a way out quickly and resumes his reign of terror. He is likely to be at a loss of what to do for some time, but for every day that passes on the outside world, a year goes by in there. There is no telling what he can come up with, with so much time on his hands."

Gohan closed his eyes and considered everything that he had just been told.

_It doesn't seem likely that Buu will be able to find a way out, he would literally have to rip a hole in-between dimensions. But if the Kai's are worried about it then there's something to consider. I could have mere minutes. Dad and Vegeta are going to have to speed up whatever it is they're doing as well._

He sighed heavily and cracked his eyes open to take in the King once more.

"What would you have me do?"

King Vegeta narrowed his eyes at the demi, his now blonde hair waving in the wind. Gohan noticed for the first time that both the Super-Saiyans across from him shared nearly identical features to their sons in this form. The only exception was Vegeta's beard, which Gohan was amused to see had also turned gold. He felt the urge to laugh as he remembered his father's words during the tournament, but dismissed the thought quickly. The King shared an anxious glance with Bardock before holding his hand out to the side, forming a faint gold ball of ki in it.

"We must skip ahead in our plans, and get you to control your Oozaru form as a Super Saiyan. And we aren't going to wait for that blasted moon, you're going to transform, and we're going to keep at it until something comes of this."

Gohan felt the momentary urge to argue that he would be even more out of control in that state, but one glance at his Grandfather reminded him of the conversation they had just had.

_No more misgivings. You can do this, you have to do this. No more fear. Control it. Embrace it. Be the protector you keep telling yourself you are, and accept your true power. Your family is going to count on you, if not tomorrow, then some day after._

With a final deep breath, he nodded towards the king, giving his consent. Kibito blinked in surprise a few times before his expression changed to one of open panic and he fled back to the ring of pillars. Vegeta and Bardock both powered up, their auras exploding outwards once more. Vegeta cocked his arm back with the ball of ki in it and chucked the orb high into the air. With a strained grunt, the old King clenched his fists, and the ball exploded, forming a huge white-blue ball that hung in the sky above them. Gohan's eyes widened as he took in the sight, his tail twitching in the air behind him.

_Control… Control… Control…_

The words echoed in his head as a jolt shot down his spine, and he blacked out once more.

**A/N: Sorry folks, had to stop there. Things will continue to progress the next chapter, I'll just leave it up to you to imagine how good or bad things are going to get. SO tell me, who saw that one coming? Please review, and if I have made any major errors that I over-looked, please let me know! Have a fantastic day, and I'll see you next time.**


	35. Organized Chaos

**Hey all! I know it's been a long time since I've posted. I promised once that I wouldn't go multiple months without an update again, and I appear to have done just that... So I have 2 apologies to make. First is the obvious, I haven't posted this sooner. Life has taken a few regrettable turns recently, so I hope you don't hold it against me for too long, I really did try to get this one done as quickly as I could. Secondly, is that this chapter is mostly dialogue, and a large portion of it hasn't been proofread. Before I get too many flames in the reviews section though, I'd like to point out the title of this particular chapter. I'll not say more right now, but that's my hint to all of you as to how you should think of this chapter. But now that that's out of the way, on to the chapter! R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 35: Organized Chaos**

Bardock, still as a golden ape, grunted in pain and pushed himself off the ground. They'd been at it for what felt like days now, and his grandson didn't seem to be making any significant ground. Of course he knew they had only really been transformed for roughly five minutes, but this was also their third time transforming after that disastrous first attempt. He'd just been swatted away by the enraged demi, who was now at the point where he fortunately _wasn't _trying to rip them and the planet to pieces. While that was something that loosely resembled control, now his power was directed at the only thing worthy of any effort in his clouded mind: proving he was the alpha of the three great apes there.

_This isn't going to work, he's just too damn powerful. _

He raised his eyes in time to witness Vegeta get roughly head-butted in the snout, sending the King staggering backwards and holding his bleeding muzzle. Gohan roared to the sky and beat his chest triumphantly. Thankful that at least he wasn't aiming to kill so much as toy with them, Bardock stood and attempted to rush forward and get a hold of his tail. The resulting blow that struck him slammed into his chest before he could even think. He felt himself flying back, and felt a strange crunch from under him as he landed and rolled twice before coming to a halt on his stomach. A faint voice was calling to him through the ringing in his ears that sounded oddly like that red kai, and as he lifted his head and his vision cleared, he saw his grandson coming straight for him, one foot shrouded in crackling golden energy. Not hesitating, Bardock threw himself backwards and out of the way as Gohan leapt towards him, slamming his heel down right where his chest used to be…

And straight through the strange stone table that was in the middle of the ring of fire-pillars with an earth-shattering crash.

A blinding white light erupted from under the Oozaru's foot before Gohan was tossed up high into the air. Vegeta, who had just recovered from the blow he had been dealt, quickly realized that something major had just happened. He glared up at the imitation moon he had created and quickly destroyed it, just as Gohan landed with a roar and a ground-shattering boom. Within a minute their transformation back into their base form completed. Bardock panted for breath and quickly made his way towards his grandson, and was surprised to find him already stirring.

_Well, at least we don't have to wait another hour._

Gohan shook the weariness from his head and stood on slightly shaky legs. His eyes immediately found his grandfathers, and Bardock could see the shame flash in them momentarily before his normal steely gaze took over. The elder Saiyan considered him for a moment before remembering exactly what had just happened. Satisfied that his grandson was alright, he turned and ran back towards the circle of light, where he could hear two deeper, gruff voices arguing back and forth.

"-t do you mean by that?! Are you implying that-"

"No. I'm _telling _you that you Saiyans are too powerful for your own damn good!"

"You're just jealous pinky!"

"I mean, look at the table!"

"Besides, he's only half Saiyan."

"He just completely broke it in half!"

"Hell, any self-respecting, full-blooded Saiyan would have already mastered this!"

"It's still smoking!"

It seemed that this was enough for the demi to get thoroughly frustrated. He stormed into the light without a backwards glance at his grandfather, who could only watch on in amusement as he imagined what was about to happen.

"Hey! When you two are done squealing like confused school girls, would _someone _mind telling me what the hell just happened here?"

The two of them paused to turn their respective attention to the demi, one with a look of shock and the other with open irritation. Vegeta crossed his arms and glared at the demi, frustration evident in his voice, and Kibito clamming up at the sight of the demi.

"You still haven't managed to break through that mental barrier. You did this, stomped right on the damned table and broke it in half, and now _pinky _here is having a fit!"

Gohan stiffened at his words, flashes of his time as an Oozaru lighting behind his eyes. It was different, that much he was certain. Before, he couldn't remember anything from his transformations. It was a total blackout. But now there were lights, memories of sounds. Sensations. So much _rage_. He ignored them as they started arguing again, each blaming someone else for what had happened. Gohan knew he was the one at fault. Ultimately, he should have been able to do it. His father was depending on him, so was his mother. His whole family needed him, and he was failing-…

"Dear lord, you have even worse self-guilt trips than _I _do!"

Startled at the ringing voice that cut through the air, Gohan spun on the spot, whirling his head around. Shock didn't even begin to describe what he felt when he came face to face with Shin. Or rather, a very, _very _old version of Shin. The wrinkled old kai shared the purple complexion, even similar clothing and a white Mohawk, but everything about him screamed age. At the moment, he seemed to be lost in thought about something, staring intently between his feet with a look of concentration on his face. Meanwhile, the King of all Saiyans and Kibito continued their argument, oblivious to the new face among them.

"And I've had… Oh darn, how long have I been trapped in there?... Tell me, do you happen to know how long it's been since a race of giant lizard-people from a tiny water planet up in the North quadrant went extinct by chance? That should give me a rough estimate of how long it's been. Oh, what were they called…?"

Gohan couldn't believe what was happening. This little old guy just popped up out of nowhere and was trying to have a conversation with him? When he finally managed to find his voice, it barely came out as more than a confused murmur.

"The… North quadrant…? Giant lizards? Dinosaurs? Big meteor and all?"

The old Kai wrinkled his nose in disgust and scratched at his cheek.

"Is that what you call them? Eh their original name eludes me but it sounds right. It was Beerus though, not a meteor. Said something about 'bad attitude' or the other… Er, anyways, what in the world are you?"

Gohan was caught so off guard by all of it that he couldn't muster a response. But didn't have to, as the old Kai gritted his teeth and finally looked towards the arguing duo, standing a mere twenty feet away from them.

"Well _maybe_ if you Kai's had decided to actually _do something _about this, we wouldn't be having a problem right now!"

"That's it Saiyan, I don't care who you are, you do not speak about the Supreme Kai in such a foul tone."

"BRING IT PINKY!"

"YOU KNOW YOU DON'T STAND A CHANCE!"

"Okay, would you two JUST STOP!? You're worse than a pair of insolent children fighting over a piece of candy."

Both of them abruptly fell silent and turned their stunned gazes to the old Kai, who simply smiled and returned his attention to the still dumb-struck demi-Saiyan.

"Now, as I was saying… You are…?"

Gohan blinked twice and then shook his head as the question seemed to finally register. He found his voice and gave a small bow of his head towards the old Kai, silently pondering who exactly he was speaking to and wondering just how powerful the old coot was. He decided the best option was to proceed with caution.

"My name is Son Gohan, A half-Saiyan, half-Human hybrid."

The old kai scratched at his chin, running his beady old eyes all over Gohan's frame. He was evidently confused by his statement.

"What in the world is a Saiyan? Or a Human? You don't look like any creature I've ever seen before."

He looked around at the others as well, inspecting Vegeta and Bardock as well as Kibito. Gohan scratched at the back of his head and tried to come to terms with what had just happened.

_Well, I suppose he wouldn't know about Saiyans or Humans, he's been gone for something like sixty-five million years._

The old Kai jumped suddenly and gaped at Gohan, startling the demi.

"Sixty-five million years?!"

_Well I guess that confirms he can read-_

"Well of course I can read minds! I'm a Supreme Kai after all! Okay, okay, somebody had better start explaining things to me!"

Gohan crossed his arms and looked towards the King of Saiyans and his grandfather, accurately reading their expressions as impatient. He agreed with them, they didn't have time to sit around and tell the history of the universe for who knows how long. A simple nod was shared between the three of them, and they turned to leave.

"Well pinky, looks like you've got your own work to do. We're going to get back to it, this problem isn't going to fix itself after all."

"Wha-. But… I…"

He looked between the three retreating Saiyans and the old Kai, who was watching him expectantly, and grunted in irritation.

"Oh fine…"

Gohan meanwhile was getting lost in thought once more, absently tugging on the chest plate as the three of them walked away. He barely noticed the murmured conversation happening between the two full blooded Saiyans before him.

"Just great, another Kai?"

"No kidding, as if we weren't getting into enough trouble with those other two and that King Kai that we were supposed to be protecting in hell."

"Well it's just something we're going to have to deal with. Kakarot said he was going to get us out, and I'm sure this is all part of it."

"You put too much faith in your son Bardock."

Gohan suddenly realized what was being said and pulled up short, staring at the two of them in shock.

"Hold on just a second. King Kai went down to hell with you guys? For what purpose?"

The two of them turned to look at him, obviously confused as to his sudden reaction. Bardock spoke for the two of them while Vegeta just watched.

"You mean you weren't told? We were asked to watch out for the North Kai while he was in hell, informing us of what was happening on Earth. We've watched pretty much everything that's happened for the last week, starting around the tournament you were in. That blonde android woman arrived just as we were leaving to come here."

"No, I didn't know. Dad's really trying to get you all released from hell? What's he going to have to give to do that?"

Worry gnawed at his insides for a moment as he considered all the possibilities. It could all be a lie, a trick to get Goku to do their bidding. Or they could be serious, but with a price that far outweighed the result in Gohan's mind. Even after he had made that deal with Shin, he was still convinced that something was going to go wrong, and Goku would never be able to return from death. No matter how he looked at it, there were too many things that could go wrong, and they were all centered around the Kais. But before he could sink any more into a panic, a loud smacking sound rang through the air behind them, and Gohan spun around to a very bizarre sight. Kibito was lying on his back, obviously dazed, and the old Kai was clutching at his hand with a furious expression on his face.

"You rotten little toddlers! I swear, I go on a short sixty million year Sabbath and the whole universe goes to hell! First you let that little pink upstart go about destroying a couple galaxies and their Kais, then you let that Cold freak take over an entire galaxy, then cheat an innocent out of his own life for your own needs. And _you're _the only elite Kai to have been born of the tree in the last two millennia? What is my younger self doing, and _why _haven't you two gone to find Beerus? What happened to the Kais to make you two so stupid?!"

Gohan blinked in shock at the outburst, trying to understand what he was hearing.

_How did he get so much information so quickly, we've only been gone for like, a minute. I definitely feel like I'm missing some crucial information here._

His thoughts were interrupted when the old Kai rounded on them, making the three Saiyans flinch a bit at the harshness of his voice.

"And you three! For all the power that your race has, you couldn't find anything better to do with your lives than destroying entire civilizations for profit? Oh, I may have to pay a visit to that little pink runt of time to fix all of this, hopefully she's still there... That would be a lovely sight for these old eyes…"

He turned on the spot, obviously lost in thought about whoever this "little pink runt of time" was, a big goofy smile on his wrinkled features not unlike Roshi when he was speaking about a younger Bulma. Gohan sighed and rolled his eyes.

_Great, another old perv… Probably isn't even worth trying to talk to him anyways. If Bulma's stories are any indication, guys like this drive a bargain that I am genetically incapable of filling._

Gohan returned his attention to the old Kai, who was staring at him now, scratching his chin thoughtfully and seeming to consider something. Gohan began to feel a bit uncomfortable under his scrutinizing glare, but refused to avert his eyes and show it. The Kai began mumbling, seemingly to himself.

"Hmm… seems he was right, he is quite powerful. I wonder if that's it though… If Kibitio's thoughts were any indication, I doubt he'd be able to defeat this Buu thing, even with the Z-sword in hand. Those other two will be bound back to hell soon, and these Goku and Vegeta characters are learning that silly little dance? Seems that things are desperate indeed… Okay fine, I'll help you!"

Gohan recoiled as the Kai seemed to make up his mind about something and grinned up at him. He realized that the old guy was missing several teeth, completing the crazy look to go with his apparent personality.

"Uh… What?"

The Kai rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, pouting a bit a wriggling his nose irritably.

"I said, I'll help you. Honestly I don't know why this Shin guy didn't do this in the first place. Seems I've got to knock some Kai heads around before I kick it."

Gohan was now even more confused than he was before. He couldn't even find the will to stammer out a response, and one glance behind him said that neither could the other two. The old Kai continued with a shrug.

"Well I kinda left all of this down to a bunch of incompetent whelps after Beerus trapped me in that damn rock. Seriously, who does that? Such a dick. Anyways, go ahead and show me what you got! I gotta know exactly what I'm working with here."

"Now wait just a minute Kai, what do you intend to do with my grandson?"

Bardock's harsh question caught the attention of both the demi and the kai, one with curiosity, and one with barely contained irritation.

"Well, if you'd shut your trap and let me show you, you'd see! I've got a feeling that this boy here has a lot of power hidden away. I just want to help him bring it out. Hehe. After all, I can't have this Buu thing going around killing off all the pretty ladies in this universe! Too much for me to see!"

_Yup… Just like master Roshi._

Gohan shook that thought out of his head and focused hard on the old Kai. Endless scenarios played through his mind while he debated what to do. If what he was saying was true, then he may have just discovered how he was going to get enough power to kill Buu without having to rely on his tail and the Oozaru.

_After all, this guy doesn't look so tough, though I still can't get a good read on his ki… _

The old Kai locked his eyes with Gohan's, and the two of them stared hard at the other. After several tense seconds of their battle of will, Gohan relented.

"Fine, you'd better stand back."

Bardock grasped his shoulder, and Gohan looked to him to find concern buried in his eyes behind his mask of seriousness.

"Are you sure about this? We've got to get back to training you."

Gohan gave him a confident smirk and shrugged his hand off.

"Don't worry about it, let's just humor him for a bit. If he's right then this might help, if he's not, then we just deal with him."

King Vegeta and Bardock both nodded their agreement and backed off, allowing Gohan some space for what he was about to do. After making sure that the others were well away from him, Gohan raised his head and closed his eyes, breathing deep. He dove into the well of his ki, pulling the dam open gradually. The first transformation came as soon as he willed it, his level of control over it being unsurpassed by any other Saiyan. His second level came with a slight effort, but as the lightning crackled around him and filled the air with a buzz of energy, the last transformation emerged again. It only took one memory, one feeling of loss and panic to send it coursing through his veins. The image of Videl broken in the ring flashed before his eyes and he screamed, his previous calm no longer with him. The others shielded their eyes, waiting for the wind and heat to die down. When it did, both the Saiyans and the elder Kai had to do a double take upon seeing his Super Saiyan three form.

"There, this is maxed out. What do you think Kai?"

His deeper voice rumbled through the air, cutting through the sound of his aura whipping the air around him. Bardock and Vegeta both couldn't believe their eyes, or the incredible pressure his ki was putting on them. However, the old Kai seemed confused. He tilted his head to the side and crossed his arms.

"Are you sure this is your max?"

Gohan seemed a bit taken aback by his question, and looked down at himself to make sure he had really made it to the third transformation. The feel of his hair against his back and the shimmering aura hanging to his skin told him it was so.

_So then what does he mean?_

"Ummm, yes, this is as far as I've been able to go."

The old Kai quietly walked up to him and began poking and prodding various parts of his body. He hesitated when he got to the tail, and Gohan felt a strange prickling sensation, much like the feeling of static in the air.

"Something the matter Kai?"

"Hm… I don't think so."

He glanced behind him, but the old Kai only seemed to be inspecting him. He smartly made his way back in front of the confused demi and stopped, looking up at him with a grin.

"Okay, that'll do! I can work with this. Go ahead and go back to your base form."

Gohan complied; releasing the flow of energy and feeling the buzz in the air dissipate. Before he or either of the two elder Saiyans could comment, the old Kai gestured towards him with his first finger, pointing at his chest.

"Lose the armor, I'll need bare skin for this to work."

Gohan furrowed his brow in confusion, but did as he was asked. He pulled the material up and over his head, which seemed to cause a bit of wonder for the old Kai, who quickly picked it up and began experimentally pulling on it in awe. It was only the sharp tongue of King Vegeta that brought him out of his temporary distraction.

"Ahem. Right. Kneel, both knees if you don't mind. You're going to want to be stable for this."

Again Gohan did as he was asked, sitting back on his heels and dropping his knees to the floor. He hesitated when the Kai stepped right up in front of him and extended his right hand towards his face, and the left towards the center of his chest. He instinctually reached up and grabbed onto the offending limbs before they made contact and quirked an eyebrow.

"What are you doing? Explain this to me before you do anything."

The old Kai sighed and gave him an exasperated look.

"You're not maxed out like you think. You're very powerful, much more powerful than I expected, but you've got more capability still. I'm going to unlock that potential, and help you out with that wasteful method of getting to it."

"What? And… um. How?"

"Look! You have to transform to get that power right now, when I'm done you won't have to! Now would you just hold still and let me do this? It's not going to hurt…"

Gohan hesitated, but relinquished his hold on the Kai's wrists. The old man placed his right thumb directly on the center of his forehead, and the tips of his left fingers on the center of his chest. Gohan involuntarily held his breath as he waited for something to happen, in which time the old Kai smirked devilishly.

"…Much."

Suddenly it all happened. An agony like he'd never felt before seemed to draw a line straight from his head to the very core of his being. An intense golden aura erupted around the two of them, and Gohan could feel his own strength simply leaving him. It burned hot, and he was sure he was screaming, but there was nothing he could do about it. His limbs were locked in place. Fire seemed to burn from everywhere inside of him, and it only grew worse as he felt the pressure of the Kai's hand pass right through his skin. It went right past his muscles, his rib-cage, his heart. It seemed to disappear entirely into his being. The only way he could describe it was that his soul was being torn to pieces. But then the pain receded, and something new took its place.

_Power._

It wasn't unlike anything he'd experienced. His soul had been shredded, and now it felt like it was being pieced back together. The difference now was that it seemed to be in the proper order. Everything fit back together at the seams, almost as if someone were piecing together a jigsaw puzzle in the proper order. Images flashed before his eyes of his life, but presented in a way that seemed foreign to him. A jolt of electricity seemed to shoot through his core suddenly.

_**Thump-thump…**_

He felt the hand receding.

_**Thump-thump…**_

He wasn't sure when, but he had stopped screaming at some point. Everything started to fade slowly, all of his senses beginning to fuzz out.

_**Thump-thump…**_

The ringing in his ears slowly began to die, but the sudden pounding in his ears took over quickly. As the tips of the kia's fingers left his sternum, his aura died out. The Kai released him completely, smiling down at the suddenly exhausted demi as he breathed hard.

"There. It is done."

Gohan grunted in pain and struggled as blackness began to close in around him.

"What did you do?"

The Kai grinned confidently at him, clasping his hands behind his back.

"…Gave you a second chance."

"You bastard… You said-… it wouldn't hurt."

With that, darkness swallowed Gohan once more, and he collapsed on his side, unconscious.

***439 AREA – MT. PAOZU***

Videl stirred finally, woken by an unusual sound near her. It was still light out, and as she cracked her eyes, she was forced to block the light coming from the setting sun. Groggily, she managed to push herself up onto her rear end and blinked a few times as she tried to get a grip on her surroundings. She was on the shore of a lake surrounded by forest, and a vast mountain range poked up into the sky all round her. The question that first came to her mind was; _How did I get here?_

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, trying to recall what had happened. She vaguely remembered flying back towards the lookout. They had just had their asses handed to them by Buu. And then Krillin…

"YOU DOUBLE-CROSSING LITTLE MIDGET!"

Her outburst earned her another strange noise from behind her. It was the same sort of noise that woke her in the first place. It sounded like a snort, or a cough. The odd thing about it was that it sounded like it came from a huge beast they would make movies about. She hesitated, unsure if she really wanted to turn around and see for herself what sort of creature might or might not be behind her. She took a deep breath and spun around, and found herself staring at her own reflection… In the heavily dilated pupil of an enormous purple dragon. She froze instinctively, unsure what to do as the eye darted over her features. She stumbled backwards as her feet finally responded to her brains command, tripping over a piece of driftwood and collapsing backwards into the shallows of the lake. She quickly set her eyes on the dragon again, waiting for it to move in for the kill.

"N-nice d-d-dragon…"

Now that she was far enough away from it to see it in its entirety, she realized just how big it was, and how badly injured. At first glance she would have thought the dragon had a striped pattern over its hide, but after she looked for a while, she realized the streaks were dried blood. One of the large curled horns that protruded from its head was missing, leaving a jagged stump in its place, and both of the folded wings on its back seemed to be held at awkward angles. It also seemed that the dragon was struggling to stand up from the laying position he had been in. His quaking limbs gave way however, and he came crashing back down to the earth. Videl cringed a bit at the groan that emanated from it. It was obvious the creature was in pain.

She wished there was something she could do for it, but the fact that it was a dragon, and the fact that she had no clue what to do for it prevented her from acting. She swallowed her fear and hesitantly took a step forward, watching for a reaction. The dragon laid its head down on the ground and flicked its tongue out at her in a serpentine fashion. She stopped, wondering what that meant, before taking another shaky step forward. This time the creature let its eyes shut halfway, and a deep bass rumble vibrated the ground beneath her feet. Videl considered the creature carefully before realizing that she was being given permission to approach. Inhaling deeply, she made her way over to the creature, stopping when she was just out of reach of his head, keeping eye contact the whole way. She raised her hand, slowly creeping towards the fallen dragon's head with her fingers.

She finally made contact, and was surprised by the heat of the creature. The purring got a bit louder and the dragon's head leaned into her hand as she pet it. The large blue eye stared right at her, and she was surprised to see the amount of personality she could see in them. The intelligence behind those eyes was undeniable. She felt a tug on her heart as she realized exactly who the creature reminded her of. She grinned and continued petting him, gaining more confidence every second.

"You remind me of someone… Big, scary looking, missing parts, and beaten; the image of a fierce creature. But on the inside you're just a big softy that gives off too much heat aren't you?... Yea you're just like Gohan…"

As soon as she said his name, the creature stirred. The purring stopped and the eye went wide. She recoiled and stared right back, wondering what was going on. The head lifted off the ground slowly and turned until both eyes were on her, and she was shocked to see a look cross its face that she had only seen on puppies. It was begging her for something. She blinked in confusion and pointed towards the creature.

"You know Gohan?"

The dragon snorted and snapped his jaws at her, shaking its head like it had water on it. Those eyes said it all. This thing definitely knew Gohan. She felt an odd sensation in her stomach. It was strange, but this creature understood. It was communicating with her, and it knew Gohan.

_So if he knows Gohan… Didn't Gohan and the twins mention a dragon at some point? I'm positive they did…_

She racked her memory, trying to remember the conversation in question. She tilted her head to the side and focused on those giant blue eyes.

"Icarus?"

Immediately the dragon grunted, snapping its jaws again. She smiled at the confirmation. But then she suddenly remembered his injuries. Immediately her brow furrowed and she clenched her fists.

"Icarus, what happened to you?... Oh wait… You can't speak… Look, I'm Videl! I'm Gohan's-… um I guess you could call me his girlfriend?... You got hurt pretty bad, we should clean you up okay?"

The dragon stared at her a few moments before tilting its head to the side once more. She wasn't sure whether it was confused about her being Gohan's girlfriend, or that she was going to clean him up a bit. Regardless, she looked about her. Saying it was one thing, but doing it would be a whole different beast. She was near a lake, which seemed clean enough and wasn't stagnant. But getting water to Icarus would be difficult. She tapped her chin and thought for a second.

_If only I could… No that wouldn't work. Why not…_

She turned back to the dragon, who was still watching her curiously, and pointed towards the lake.

"Okay, we need to get you in the shallows buddy. That's going to be the easiest way."

The dragon seemed to quirk a brow-bone at her, if that was possible, like an insolent child asking its mother what she was going to do about it. Videl almost laughed at the vibe she got from the creature, but decided that wouldn't help her to help him. She put on one of her better glares and pointed towards the shallows again.

"Now. Or I'll be forced to light a fire under your butt."

That got his attention. She was amazed when the dragon seemingly dragged itself into the water, still not having the strength to stand on its own four legs. She felt a little bad that she had to resort to scare tactics, but the end result was what she was after. She followed him into the shallows and quickly removed her shirt. It was already blood soaked, turning it from a dark blue to a near black color, leaving just her yellow long-sleeved undershirt. She dunked the shirt in the water, which was already beginning to turn a faint pink color with the blood that still dripped from several gashes along his flank. She wrung it out and looked apologetically towards Icarus' lone eye that was staring back at her.

"I'm sorry buddy, but this might sting a bit. I'll try to make it quick."

With that, she began her work. Initially the dragon had made that groaning noise again, up until Videl found that several branches were imbedded in the side that was still bleeding. She winced when she found each one. She wondered what had happened to him, and suddenly remembered what had happened the day Gohan had died. The three younger demis had come back in hysterics, with Ria crying about how "Gohan and Icarus were going to have to fight Mr. Vegeta". She set her jaw and gripped onto the branch she was currently trying to remove from his flank. With a hard pull, the branch came sliding out, dripping dark red steaming blood the whole way. She tossed the branch aside and immediately began cleaning around the hole, being careful not to touch the exposed flesh itself. She paused, looking towards the dragon's eye again.

"It was Vegeta, huh? He's the one who hurt you like this."

The dragon growled at the mention of the Prince, and the water around him shook with the vibrations. Videl stroked his side affectionately, willing the animal to calm.

"That wasn't really him you know. He was being mind controlled… He was a good friend of Gohan's I think, it hit us hard when he had to be killed. Especially Gohan, I'm sure…"

The growl stopped, and she realized that Icarus was watching her carefully again, begging her again with those huge orbs. She suddenly realized something as she looked at him. He was trying to ask her where Gohan was. Each time the demi was mentioned, the dragon looked at her with that same expression. She was prepared for the agony that washed over her again when the thought of what happened to him came back, and managed to hold herself together enough to not completely break down. Tears pooled in her eyes, and she halted her stroking of his flank.

"Icarus, he's gone. Gohan died a few days ago now. Everyone is dying and I'm stuck out in the middle of who-knows-where, talking to a severely injured dragon."

The dragon didn't move at all for a few seconds as she recovered herself. She sniffed and wiped away her tears, bringing her emotions back under her control. That giant eye never left her though. She sighed and began working again.

"I'm sorry Icarus. Let's get you fixed up and get out of here. Buu is still alive somewhere, I'm sure of it. The fact that nobody has come to find me is worrisome, but we will have to deal with it later. Just rest for now, okay big guy?"

She felt horrible for him. He may not have the ability to speak, but there was no doubt in her mind that the beast was more than shocked at the news. The big dragon slowly let its head fall until the jaw was submerged, with only his nostrils above the water for air. A deep bass hum emanated from him, and Videl immediately recognized it as a purr. She vaguely remembered that cats tended to purr for two reasons; when they were happy, or when they were in distress. She sighed and pulled another branch out of his side, listening to the comforting sound as Icarus' eye closed and he fell asleep in the setting sunlight.

***CENTRAL CITY – THE CAPITAL***

Lime was practically pulling her hair out now. Things were going horribly wrong, and for the most-part, none of them could tell what had even happened. They'd landed in central city hours ago, surprisingly finding Hercule there preparing to launch an expedition of sorts out towards the Capital of the northern lands. But that had been put on hold as soon as he was told Videl was missing. He'd fainted, and hadn't woken up yet. At the moment, they were all sitting in a cafeteria within the embassy compound, trying to figure out their next move and trying to stomach something. They'd established already that they had to try and stay hidden, and just follow Krillin's orders, but everything else was all just speculation. Their one comfort right now was that Buu hadn't done anything to them yet.

Not that it was much of a comfort really.

Of their original group, only a handful remained. Chi Chi, grandpa Ox, and Goten were all that remained of the Son family. Trunks and Bulma from the Briefs, and only Oolong, Puar, and Marron from the group on Roshi's island. Chiaotzu had joined them, and was trying to console Launch, who was attempting to drown her sorrows in the bottom of a whiskey bottle. The only others were Sharpner, Erasa, and herself. She counted it out in her head.

_Vegeta, Gohan, Goku, Yamcha, Tien, Piccolo, 17, 18. Krillin, Roshi, Dende, Popo, and Videl. That makes 8 for sure gone, and another possible 5?_

"There doesn't seem to be much hope left does there?"

The small voice that broke the silence caused them all to stir. Most of their eyes turned towards Bulma, who looked close on the edge of tears. It was obvious there were several of them fighting to hold it all in. She noticed the three demi-Saiyans share a look across the table from each other, and Trunks stood up in his chair to plant his hands on the table in what she supposed was supposed to be an intimidating stance.

"We're not going to give up just yet mom! Me, Goten and Ria are all still here. If Buu finds us, then we'll fight! We have Mr. Chiaotzu too!"

"Yea!"

"We'll protect you until big brother comes back with dad and Mr. Vegeta."

Lime clutched harder at the ring still caught in her grip. There it was again, that feeling that no matter what was said, she'd never see Gohan again. Something always went wrong when it concerned that boy, no matter how well laid out a plan he made. It was just his type of luck.

"No need kids, I doubt we'll be seeing any of that pink thing anytime soon."

All heads spun about at the sound of the familiar voice as Krillin came through the main cafeteria doors, Roshi in tow and a huge smile on his face. It took a second for everyone to realize the implications of what he said, and Marron was the first to react. She leapt out of Erasa's grasp with a squeal of delight and plowed into her father's stomach. It barely took a second afterwards for several of the others to rush him, showering him with questions and excitement. In the end, only Lime and Bulma remained at the table, still too shocked to move.

"What happened Mr. Krillin?"

"How did you guys survive?"

"Where's Buu?"

"You didn't manage to kill him did you?"

Krillin picked up Marron and waved them all down, still unable to get rid of the grin lighting up his face.

"You guys, chill a bit would ya? Let's sit down and we'll fill you in okay? I'll fill you in on everything!"

***A SHORT WHILE LATER***

"You did what?"

Bulma's incredulous expression was reflected by more than one person at the table. Krillin shrugged and scratched the side of his head.

"We managed to trap him in the Hyperbolic time chamber, and then destroyed the portal. It was an on-the-fly decision, but I'm pretty sure he's gone for good. I mean, he'd have to be able to rip a hole in-between dimensions to be able to get out, right?"

Most of the table seemed to agree with his statement, however Bulma seemed to be worried about something still. Lime noticed her unease and reached across the table to grab onto one of her clenched fists. That brought her out of her overly-focused state, but the look in her eyes was definitely a cause for concern.

"Bulma, what's wrong?"

The bluenette hesitated, and suddenly all eyes were on her. She gulped and Lime noticed sweat beginning to form on her brow.

"It's just… Well it's the project I was working on back home. The time-communicator? The one I based off of Mirai Trunks' time machine."

A few blinks of confusion. Krillin quirked an eyebrow at her, not sure where she was going with this.

"Yea, what about it?"

"It's how that thing works that concerns me. You see, it's based off of your guys' ability to use your own ki. Manifesting it into something tangible that can burn and cause explosions. We used the same concept but in the reverse, converting something into energy that can pass through time and space at our direction, and then re-form on the other side. Gohan was helping me out with it for a while, and came up with the idea that it was possible to break through dimensional walls by brute force using ki. He never did it, but proposed that he could."

That certainly wasn't expected. Lime retracted her hand, considering the implications of what she had said. Krillin and the others seemed to be on the same track, but there was still plenty of confusion between them all.

"Well yea Bulma, I can see how that would be concerning, but that was Gohan's idea, and we all know how sharp that kid is. Buu was barely intelligible before, I doubt he'd be able to figure that one out unless… Oh…"

Bulma nodded grimly as what he suddenly realized sunk in to the rest of them.

"You guys said he had some of Gohan's memories from when… when he killed him. Who's to say he didn't get those ones as well?"

Krillin paled considerably, and began stammering out excuses incoherently. In the midst of his babble, one could pick out the words "take forever", and "time to prepare". Bulma slapped her hand on the table hard, halting him mid-rant and raising her voice over his.

"Krillin calm the hell down! Now, you guys dropped him into the Hyperbolic time chamber right? My understanding of that room is that it's its own dimension, running parallel with ours but at a time rate of three hundred sixty-five to one right? So even if he's in there for a year, in this dimension only one day would have passed."

The people gathered suddenly seemed to realize what could happen and a panicked buzz filled the air between them. Bulma held her hand up and glared at the table seriously, voicing the rest of her thoughts.

"There's no guarantees in any of this. Hell, for all I know, he could really be trapped and I'm worrying over nothing. But if he does find a way out, there's no telling how long it might take him to figure it out, and we don't know where he would emerge. You destroyed the door to that dimension, which means that even if he does manage to find another way back into this one, he would pop out who-knows where."

A moment of silence.

"Hey yea! Even if he does escape, he'd probably wind up on the opposite side of the freakin' universe! HA!"

Bulma quirked an eyebrow at Roshi for that little outburst, and quickly reminded him that it wasn't so simple.

"Or, he could pop out right on top of us and simply wipe us all out in a heartbeat. You guys managed to trap him what… four hours ago now? That'll be… about two months. Two months of him being trapped inside that room, with nothing to do but rage and try to break out somehow, _with _the possibility that he has Gohan's knowledge on that. So, let's not start celebrating just yet okay?"

That seemed to bring more than just Roshi back to reality. Lime squeezed the ring in her hand and leaned back in her chair, contemplating their situation.

"So… What should we do in the mean-time? Let's look at the big picture here, what do we know?"

Various voices from around them called things out at random.

"Well, Buu is trapped for now, but he could get out at any given time."

"The only fighters we have left are the kids, Krillin, and Chiaotzu."

"I left Videl in the 439 Mountain area to try and hide her."

"Dende and Popo have disappeared, the dragon balls with them."

"Gohan, Goku, and Vegeta are all supposed to be training in otherworld right now."

…

"That it…?"

Bulma sighed and plopped her head down against the table.

"I hate the fact that we're always getting left behind now. I remember the days when I used to be out on the front lines with Yamcha, Krillin, and Goku."

She inhaled sharply and sat back up, recovering herself and putting on a serious face again.

"Okay, so with Buu temporarily out of the way, I think we need to focus on regrouping. Which means finding Videl, and finding Dende. With that, we can summon Shenron and get our Saiyans back at least. Anyone got any other ideas?"

She looked around expectantly, waiting for a response. Surprisingly, the first one to do so was Chiaotzu.

"I don't know Bulma, about the summoning thing. I think our priority should be preparing for the situation that Buu does make it back. We should be able to hide ourselves and find the most defensible position. Those Kais certainly would have a way to get Gohan, Goku, and Vegeta back, so maybe we need to protect Dende as a first."

There were a couple nods to that suggestion, but then Krillin cleared his throat and hefted his daughter higher against his shoulder.

"Actually guys, I just remembered, King Kai spoke to me on my way back to the lookout earlier. I'd forgotten it til just now, but he told us to keep Videl hidden, and to send Dende to help hide her. Then he told us to go into hiding and wait this one out."

Launch cracked her knuckles, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder with the flick of her head.

"So what, we're supposed to just sit here and do nothing? I've got some major beef to pick with that critter, and it ain't gonna happen here."

"Well, yea, that's pretty much what he said. We all heard Shin earlier, there's some big plan happening behind closed doors up there. He was vague, but I don't think we should discount what he says."

"Why not? That purple midget has been jerking us around since he got here, I don't trust him."

There were several of the others who agreed with Launch on that subject, but it was Lime who stepped up to bring them all back down.

"Guys, I don't trust Shin any more that you guys do, but I think that Krillin is right here. We're horribly unprepared for anything as it stands, and somewhere out there, Gohan and the others are doing what they can until they get back. If they're going along with Shin's plans, then I think we should too. I don't like Shin, but I have faith in Gohan."

The mood in the room sobered up immediately, and Launch sighed in defeat. She pulled one of her trusty pistols out of nowhere and began breaking it down to clean it.

"Yea, you're right. We gotta have faith in our guys and hope for the best now huh?"

An uncomfortable silence settled over them all, broken by the loud yawn of little Marron. Krillin looked down at her and smiled gently.

"Well, for now, let's try to relax a bit. The kids look tired, and I'm not doing much better myself. We should be pretty safe for now, we've got the entire capital surrounding us. I'm sure that if anything were to happen, we'd have enough time to react."

He stood, scraping his chair against the tile floor as it was pushed back. A few of the others followed suit, while Chiaoutzu floated up above the table and pointed towards a door opposite of the main entrance.

"You guys go get some rest. I'm not tired, so I'll take up watch."

With that, most of the Z gang nodded and left, headed towards the rooms they had been given in the Embassy for some sleep. It would prove to be easier said than done as they watched the minutes tick by lying awake in bed, waiting for the sound of their doom.

***ANDROMEDA – CORE CLUSTER***

If it weren't for the total lack of air in the void of space, you'd imagine the scene as explosive. Chaotic. Total anarchy. But ultimately when you looked about the core of a galaxy, you saw the cycle of life. Stars, birthed in enormous nurseries, quickly gain mass and burn, lighting everything around them with bright light. Solar wind blows star dust in all directions, giving some areas of space a hazy hue. Those stars burn their mass rapidly, and begin to expand. Some get swallowed and consumed by others, some disappear into the dark gullet of a black hole. Some make it to the end of their lives, detonating in a colossal explosion that literally tears the heavens apart and feeds new stars, while some collapse on themselves and become star-eaters themselves. Even on the scale you'd witness there, it was organized. It was a cycle. It was chaos, but it was life.

Amidst all that organized chaos, only a single seemingly insignificant thing was needed to throw the balance horribly awry. It manifested itself as a blinding white light seemed to tear through the void, widening until it looked like a window in space. Were it not for the emptiness there, you would have heard the screaming. Star dust scattered outwards from the hole, quickly followed by an intense pink beam of light that screamed out from the hole just as it shut on itself, leaving a pure blackness where it had been moments before. The beam seemed to blink out of existence, just before a colossal eruption of power detonated in the middle of a distant star Nursery. When the explosion finally died out, a huge patch of the giant cloud of dust was no longer there, and the remains of the cloud were flying away from each other. New stars left inside caught all they could, but the damage had been done. Dust would disappear off into the black void, too scattered to form anything anymore, leaving behind many stars to simply burn out and die. It wouldn't be immediate, but this simple existence, this simple cycle, had suddenly been broken. Many millions of years in the future, this particular patch of void would be devoid of light completely, shrouded in darkness and swallowed by the black holes that remained.

All because of one simple outburst of anger.

***ELSEWHERE – GOHAN***

Now _this _was a strange sensation for him. He'd been alive for eighteen years before his untimely demise, plus a little extra if you counted the time in the Hyperbolic Time chamber. For the last fourteen of it, he'd been made hyper-aware of his own body, and of his ki contained within. Or at least, that's what he had thought. With every year that passed, he learned more and more about himself. Each time he transformed into a super saiyan, he had become more familiar with himself. With the transformation to super-saiyan three, he thought he had finally managed to unveil his maximum. He'd stopped growing so much after that, leading him to believe that he had learned all he could of himself. But that had been torn apart in a heartbeat.

_**Thump-thump.**_

The sound of blood pumping in his ears was almost painful. His consciousness seemed to drift, floating in a sea of black as he tried to pull himself together. The old Kai had reached inside him, and quite literally shredded his soul. Now that it was put back together, he felt different. He was still him, but he felt like an entirely new person at the same time. It was like he was truly whole now.

_**Thump-thump.**_

_Blood… The sound of a heartbeat. My heartbeat…_

_**Thump-thump.**_

Things suddenly seemed to make sense to him. What the Kai had done to him made sense. His insecurities made sense. His life made sense. But most importantly, what he was _capable _of made sense. It wasn't until now that he realized just how little he seemed to know about himself. But after his soul had been rebuilt, and the sudden restarting of his heart, here in the dark confines of his mind, he finally found himself understanding his true self. The good and the bad were all there for him to see, like watching through another person's eyes, and he knew for certain who he was. He found for the first time in a very, _very _long time that he was confident in himself.

_**Thump-thump.**_

_I'm alive._

With that thought, he inhaled sharply, his senses returning in a rush. His eyes snapped open and he found himself staring back up at the star-laden night sky of the sacred planet once more. He felt his appendages tingle with sudden responsiveness, and all of them twitched involuntarily, including his tail. Sound came back to him in a rush, and he was surprised to hear a hushed argument happening. He couldn't quite make out the words, but it sounded like King Vegeta and Bardock. He strained his ears to hear, but even with his Saiyan hearing, it was still too difficult to make out.

"It's about time you woke up! Sheesh, it's not like I went and hit you over the head with a planet or anything, just a simple unlocking and reviving is all."

Gohan tried to point his head towards the source of the voice, and found himself to be sore.

_Sore? I wasn't sore before he did that thing._

_**Thump-thump.**_

He sucked in a sharp breath and quickly pushed himself over so that he was on his hands and knees, looking down at himself. He was still dressed in the lower half of his new Saiyan armor, and the steady rise and fall of his chest confirmed he was definitely feeling his own body's senses. He placed a hand to the side of his neck, breathing calmly and feeling for it.

_**Thump-thump.**_

_I wasn't dreaming it. I'm alive again, my own heart is beating in my chest. _

He ran his hand over the place where the Kai had put his hand through him, and wasn't surprised to find there was no hole. There wasn't even any redness to his skin. If he hadn't felt it for himself, there would have been no evidence that the Kai had done anything at all to him. He looked up at the old Kai, who was watching him from a seated position with a slightly disgruntled expression and what appeared to be a black eye coloring his already purple skin. There was a mixture of emotions flowing through him, and he wasn't sure what he was supposed to feel. It had all happened so fast, he had no clue how to react. The old kai rolled his eyes waved him off.

"Sheesh you're just as ungrateful as that punk who went and hit me over the head aren't you? Well, go ahead and get it over with, I don't really feel like dragging out the ache in my head any longer than necessary."

Gohan shook his head and struggled to his feet, looking himself over.

"No, don't get me wrong… I'm just a bit… shocked is all… Did you… how did you…?"

The old Kai yawned and inspected his finger-nails smugly.

"Well, I _am _a god of creation, duu-uuuuuh. Making life is a cake-walk for someone who's been doing this for so long."

Gohan quickly found the rest of the armor that was given to him and pulled it over his head, settling the plate in place and watching his grandfather and King Vegeta argue out the corner of his eye.

"I suppose that makes a bit of sense, though it doesn't explain why Shin or Kibito couldn't do that-"

"Little punks don't know the first thing about being a Supreme Kai! Don't you worry, they'll get theirs!"

"- and what are those two arguing about?"

The kai considered the two of them and then crossed his arms irritably.

"How should I know?! All I know is the tall flame-haired guy hit me over the head right after I finished reviving you! Can you believe the nerve?"

Gohan sighed and began making his way towards the duo, still lost in thought about what all had just transpired. The two Saiyans broke out of their conversation as he approached and quickly began inspecting him. Gohan patiently waited as they looked him over. When they seemed satisfied, the two of them backed off and looked at him seriously.

"What the hell did he do to you boy? He shoved his hand straight through your chest."

"I'm not good at sensing energy yet, but even I could definitely tell something was up with you there. Are you alright?"

Gohan took a deep breath and looked up, noticing the distinct lack of a halo above his head.

"He revived me and… I don't really know what he did, he said it was an 'unlocking'."

The two of them were completely at a loss for words, staring at him with gaping mouths. They looked up towards where his halo used to bee and back again several times. Bardock scratched at the back of his head considered the old kai with a sideways glance.

"Just like that? Gave you life just like that? Like… You're actually alive right now?"

Gohan nodded and glanced down at his hands. Now that he stopped to think about it, it was extremely strange that something as valuable as life could just be _given _to someone. But it wasn't hitting him nearly as hard as it seemed to be hitting the other two Saiyans. But back to the point…

"Yea, anyways, what's going on? You two seemed to be pretty heated there."

The two Saiyans seemed to snap out of their state and back into character. Vegeta took a deep breath and began.

"It's got to do with our little friend Pinky. He left right after you fell unconscious, saying something akin to k 'he's escaped'. We were discussing what he could have possibly meant by that-"

"The worst of which being that this Buu creature has escaped whatever trap your friends back home managed to set for him."

Gohan felt his heart jump in his chest, still a strange sensation to him. But he focused himself, looking at them seriously and waiting for them to continue.

"Whatever the case may be, Pinky left in a flash, barely managing to tell us that he needed to go find the Supreme Kai and to prepare yourself."

Gohan quirked an eyebrow at that, looking at Vegeta for an explanation. It didn't come from the King, but from his grandfather.

"I believe they're going to send you back to Earth, Gohan. You and our sons. We can't be certain yet, but I'm willing to bet my life on it."

Off behind Gohan, the old Kai called out to them.

"You're already dead!"

Gohan furrowed his brow, thinking about the situation, and trying to determine the best route. Regardless of whether or not he was going to go back soon, he had to know if he was ready. Whatever the old Kai had done to him certainly was going to play a major role now. The only question was how exactly he had been effected. He ignored the others around him and closed his eyes, digging into himself in search of that familiar well of energy.

_Might as well find out… What the…_

Shocked didn't even begin to cover what he felt when the energy he was searching for immediately shot through his veins. He didn't have to look hardly at all, and he didn't even have to try to pull it out. It willingly responded to his coercing, and before he knew what had happened, he was putting out the same amount of ki as he would have been in the heat of battle as a Super-Saiyan three. The planet beneath his feet shook and vibrated with his aura, which he vaguely noticed had taken on a slightly blue tinge as opposed to its normal white. He could tell he was giving off the same amount of ki as a Super Saiyan three, and yet he could tell that he hadn't even transformed into a Super Saiyan. A faint wailing sound caught his attention and he realized that he had accidentally blown the other three away from him. He quickly severed the link with the ki and shot after the Old Kai, catching him and gently dropping back to the ground.

"YOU PUNK! DIDN'T I TELL YOU THAT YOU WOULND'T HAVE TO TRANSFORM ANYMORE? WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA PULLING OUT THAT MUCH ENERGY IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS? DON'T YOU HAVE ANY SELF CONTROL?!"

Gohan nervously scratched at the back of his neck, averting his eyes as his Grandfather and Vegeta both landed next to him and the still-complaining Kai.

"Sorry about that, I honestly had no clue that's what would happen."

"That was insane! I didn't even have to try and feel out that energy, it was so powerful it seemed to press in on me like a planet. You did good old man!"

Bardock clapped the old Kai on the back, sending him face-first into the dirt. After a couple seconds of struggling back to his feet, the purple man rubbed his now bruised face and all but screamed at them.

"AND THIS IS HOW YOU THANK ME? I didn't even do that much to him! Now, don't you have a universe to go save or something?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a loud crack rent the air and all four spun to find themselves face-to-face with Kibito. The pink Kai seemed exhausted and more than a bit irritated, and immediately held his hand out with a growl.

"You four, it's time to go, things are happening. Grab on, I'll let the Supreme Kai explain when we get back to the Kai's planet."

Without waiting for a response, Kibito quickly went about and grabbed ahold of all the others and Gohan felt himself being forcibly pulled through that figurative rubber hose once more, a million and one things still on his mind.

_I have so many questions, what the hell is going on in this crazy universe?_

***UNKNOWN LOCATION – SPACE***

A hole ripped itself wide open in the fabric of space, a mere speck of light in the middle of nowhere. There were no nearby stars, no planets, not even a stray puff of dust to mark this area of space as anything but vast emptiness. As the hole grew wider and wider, emitting a bright white light, a thin stream of pink goo began to spout from the opening. Mere seconds passed, but before long a large chunk of the material managed to escape the hole, barely making it out before the hole slammed shut, leaving behind nothing but darkness.

Buu began reforming himself, and he couldn't help but be thankful that he didn't require air to live. He molded himself back together, staring out into space with hate-filled eyes. There was only one thing on his mind; _Revenge._

_ Those worms will pay for that! Over a year trapped in that blasted white room! So much wasted energy! I'll eat them all, and then I'm going to destroy that planet! _

He managed to pull up vague memories from the people he had eaten, and recalled that he had been stuck in there for a mere day out here, and grinned evilly to himself.

"Enjoy your day off little humans? I hope so, because it's the last good-night's sleep you'll ever have!"

He quickly oriented himself, determining that he had emerged from the room surprisingly close to his destination. Using a combination of his ki sensing taken from the Z-warriors and what knowledge he'd inherited over the years, he locked his sharp eyes onto the pinprick of a yellow star in the distance and immediately shot off. The heavens split behind him as he traveled, leaving behind a bright pink streak. He growled to himself, calculating in his mind quickly.

_It's still too far… DAMN IT! Fine! You get another day you pathetic worms! One day, and then you're mine!_

**A/N: Alrighty then folks, that is where i'm going to cut this one off. I don't see this story being much longer than 40 Chapters, so don't worry, things are going to get a bit more interesting here soon. I've been thinking a lot about how i'm going to go about finishing this story, and I think i've made up my mind. I'll get working on the next chapter soon, and hopefully have it up sooner than later. I hope you liked this chapter, and i'll be seeing you all soon. As always, have a fantastic day!**


	36. Final Preparations

**Alrighty folks, after much preparation and several rewrites of parts of this chapter, it's finally done. Lots of dialogue, a few last minute decisions, and unfortunately not a lot of action to speak of. But don't you worry, the next couple chapters are going to have lots of it. The final showdown is coming. Thanks to everyone who has stuck with this story up to this point, really I couldn't have written it all out without the support and constructive criticisms I've been given. I really do appreciate it.**

**Chapter 36: Final Preparations**

It was already night, the stars were burning bright in the sky by the millions, and the gentle thrum of the giant dragon's breathing provided a comforting sensation for Videl. She'd given up on trying to move Icarus shortly after nightfall, instead plopping herself down to sit against his warm belly. She'd done as much as she could to clean his wounds, but several of them still looked painful, and Icarus seemed to have lost the will to do much.

Not that she could blame him.

In the short time she had actually spent with him, she had come to realize that even with his lack of speech, Icarus had the same level of personality and spirit as any person she had ever met. He was intelligent, understood everything she was saying and was able to respond in his own way. And after the magnitude of the bomb she had dropped on him, he looked exactly how she and the others had felt immediately after Gohan and the others had been murdered. It was still painful for her to think about, and she had been coping for days. It was still fresh to Icarus, and after he'd managed to drag himself onto the grassy shore of the lake, he'd immediately curled up to the best of his abilities and laid his head down. If he was capable of crying, Videl knew he would be doing it now.

She offered what she could with her presence, laying her drenched and blood-soaked shirt over his spiny back to dry and settling herself against his stomach just to let him know she was there. It was an odd sensation really, being so close to such a large beast as this. If any of her friends were to see her, she knew they would probably panic and run about like headless chickens in worry. After all, this creature was an apex predator of legend, capable of mythical feats of strength and – dare she say it – magic. She was a mere human and barely a snack for him. Just being able to touch him, much less communicate with him and to share in his grief, and to _know _that was what was happening, seemed like something out of a fantasy book. Yet here she was.

She laid her head back to rest against his belly, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his chest as his massive lungs filled and deflated slowly. Sleep began to settle in slowly, and her eyes were getting heavy counting the millions of pin-pricks in the sky above.

"You know, I can heal him."

Her breath hitched and she jolted into full awareness. That was definitely a male's voice, and it was definitely coming from very close-by. Videl snapped her head up and saw the little green man from the lookout standing before her, with the small black genie hovering close-by on a…

_Magic carpet? What in the world?_

Videl almost jumped clean out of her skin at the sight of someone else being near them, something which Icarus noticed and caused him to tense anxiously. Dende held his hands up apologetically and waved down the giant beast, who seemed to recognize him and laid his head back down.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!"

Getting her breathing under control, she eased the tension out of her body and wiped her hands down the front of her face in irritation.

"Kami you scared the shit out of me. Please don't do that again?"

Dende hesitated, wondering if she realized what she had just said, but dismissed it and scratched at his cheek.

"Sorry, but we've been looking for you for a few hours now. Even though I knew roughly where Krillin dropped you, you were hard to sense until I got close. If it weren't for Icarus here, I doubt I would have. I suppose it's for the best though, after all you're supposed to be hiding right now right?"

She pushed herself up, leaning lightly against Icarus' flank and looking between the two newcomers with dozens of questions on her mind. But she decided to put them aside for the time being, considering his earlier offer. She stepped aside and gestured for Dende to approach.

"You sure you can help him? I mean, he is a dragon. He's got a little bit more than a minor flesh wound too."

Dende chuckled lightly and rubbed his hands together, throwing a grin her direction.

"Please Videl, Dragons aren't any more complicated than Saiyans, and they don't use up as much energy, despite their size. I might be a bit tired afterwards, but I'll have no problem getting him back into shape."

And without another word, he held his hands up to the dragon's side and his eyes shut. For a split second nothing seemed to happen, and Videl wondered if he had actually healed her wounds when she had been beaten by Spopovich. But as she peered closer, she began to see things happening. A faint hissing sound was barely audible, and she could see the fibers of muscle beginning to weave back together all along Icarus' side. Skin melded back together, leaving a defined scar in each place where the scales had been damaged. The fabric of his wings seemed to take on a brighter tone as the blood vessels in them were repaired, along with the limbs that made up the wing itself. She could only watch in fascination as he worked what she could only describe as magic.

_There's that word again. Magic. Just what the hell world have I gone and fallen into?_

"Now Videl, I've been meaning to ask you, did you know you were suppressing your ki?"

Icarus snorted, looking between the two of them before trotting off through the tree line, completely ignoring his wings but proving that he was swift even on foot. Videl shook her head and blinked away her semi-awe-struck state. Quickly recalling her thoughts, she rubbed at the back of her neck.

"I… Suppressing my ki you say? No that's something I haven't learned. To be honest I haven't even learned how to sense others' ki, which is probably why you were able to sneak up on me so easily."

Dende wiped his hands on the front of his robe and furrowed his brow in thought. Popo must have been thinking the same thing as him, because he hopped off the carpet and peered at her in the darkness. The sensation from it was that she was being x-rayed. It wasn't pleasant.

"You mean that Gohan didn't teach you that bit, but showed you how to draw on yours? How peculiar. I figured for him it would be a priority, what with his need to protect everyone."

Dende waved his comment away and considered Videl with a goofy grin.

"Nah, if I know our Gohan, he probably decided to train her how she wanted to be trained, am I right?"

Videl thought back on it, considering what he meant. Sure she had asked Gohan to train her, but his methods were unorthodox to her, and seemed a bit demeaning too. When she thought about it, he had done as she asked, but if these two thought she should have been trained another way…

"Well, I don't really know for sure. Yea, I'm much better as a fighter now than I was a couple months ago, but I think he might have had an ulterior motive… But anyways, what do you guys want? Why were you looking for me?"

Dende hesitated a moment before answering, pulling out a small capsule from his robe in the process.

"Well, it seems that the powers that be are planning something. Krillin passed on to me that I was to find you and hide the dragon balls, just in case… To be honest I'm not really sure what's happened in the last couple hours. He stayed behind on the lookout while everyone else escaped, and I haven't heard or seen anything since. I can't afford to risk searching out with my ki or else Buu might find us, so we'll just have to wait it out until something happens."

Videl sighed and sat back down on the soft grass, staring up at the heavens. It was quite a beautiful night to say the least. Stars pocked the sky from horizon to horizon, and the dense cloud of the Milky Way was visible to the naked eye. Dende silently strode over and sat down next to her, turning his eyes towards the heavens as well. She understood the implications of what he had said, but by now she felt numb. If Krillin had died, it would only add to the pit already present in her chest. It didn't feel like there was much more hurt she could realistically take, so it just felt numb. She didn't even feel the urge to cry. A calm acceptance of their collective fate had finally set in.

"Dende…"

"Hm?"

"… When this is all over, will I be in the same place as Gohan? My mother?"

Dende considered her out of the corner of his eye, a small frown etched into his face.

"Do you want my honest answer or the one you want to hear?"

She smirked at him, rolling her eyes.

"I don't need to be babied Dende, I want to know the truth."

"Well… I don't know. You'd definitely end up in the same place as most other earthlings, since very few of you deserve to be sent to Hell. So your mother? Most definitely… Gohan however, has been personally claimed by the Kais. I don't even know what they intend for him. Very few people get to retain their bodies upon entry into other-world. Just the most powerful of warriors, which are usually given bodies to perform tasks after death, and those sent to hell, for less pleasant reasons."

Videl focused on the brightest star she could find and thought about his words. She didn't really want to think about hell, since such a place really existed. She was curious about what would happen to her.

"But what of those who just die like normal? No bodies, no Kais, no hell. What?"

Dende turned to look at her, his eyes seeming to glow in the dark.

"I pray that you won't have to experience that yet, but suffice to say you kinda just linger in otherworld amongst other souls. I hate to say it, but when he goes, I don't know if Gohan will be able to just be in other-world. Take for instance, Goku's situation. He was given a body and kept on the Grand Kai's world, a bridge between the physical and other-worldly realm. With the exception to his apparent visits to hell on missions for the Grand Kai, he hasn't seen anyone in Otherworld of his own free will. I can't promise that Gohan won't be in a similar situation."

Now she could feel the burn of tears in her eyes. She tried blinking them away, but only succeeded in forcing them out onto her cheeks. She clenched her jaw, fighting to keep her emotions in check.

"But Videl, you mustn't dwell on these things. Call it a hunch, but whatever they're doing up there right now, I'm positive it'll get us out of this mess. Gohan and the others are going to be back before you know it, and when he does, he'll be there for you."

Videl blinked and finally turned her eyes from the heavens above to look at the guardian. He smiled warmly at her, and she couldn't help but feel a bit relieved when looking at him.

"You're good for him, you know that right?"

She blushed a bit, caught off guard by the change in tone.

"I… Umm…"

"I mean it Videl, you've brought out a change in him I haven't seen for years. And I may not be omnipotent, but I've seen how he's impacted your life as well. You two have something special, and when he gets back, not if, you need to hold onto it."

She couldn't muster a response. He seemed so sincere, so convincing, that she truly wanted to believe him. Her mind was telling her that it was all a load of shit and that she needed to face reality, but it was such a pretty picture. In the end, she merely settled for mumbling out a small thanks and standing to give herself something to occupy her mind. She brushed herself off and reached out to give the Guardian a hand, which he took with a smile. She took a look around her for a reference point and pointed off in a western direction.

"Well, I can remember Krillin saying that I should make my way to the Son home. It's that way right?"

Dende nodded and scratched at his cheek, laughing sheepishly. They both turned towards the noise of Icarus poking his head through the foliage, a dark unmentionable substance dripping from the edges of his maw. She grimaced, but didn't dare try to figure out what he had eaten.

"Man, I feel bad for anything that winds up between those teeth… Speaking of…"

"Heh, yea. I'd almost forgot we were supposed to be hiding from Buu… Out in the open is probably not the best place, huh?"

She sighed and nodded, turning and beginning their trek.

"Well, no time to waste Mr. Guardian. We should be there pretty quick."

Dende and Popo followed her silently with Icarus trudging along behind them at a distance. Thankfully they weren't offering to take her on that little carpet thing floating in the air behind them. She didn't know how she would feel having to ride that thing. She welcomed the silence, mulling everything over in her head. She hoped Dende was right about Gohan, but always at the back of her mind:

_I may never see him again…_

***OTHERWORLD – WORLD OF THE KAIS***

The pressure vanished as quickly as it came, and Gohan found himself once more being spat out onto the surface of the Kais world. He immediately sensed the presence of his father and Vegeta near him, as well as that all too familiar kai. He shook the minor spell of dizziness from his mind let his breath out. When it all stopped spinning, he barely had time to think before Prince Vegeta was forcefully grabbing him by the chest-plate and dragging him off without a word. Gohan focused on him, noting that the Prince was pointedly ignoring the others and had a determined look on his face. Gohan couldn't help himself, he felt like giving Vegeta a bit of a hard time.

"You know, most would take a guy out to dinner first."

Vegeta visibly reddened with anger but surprisingly had no retort as they approached Goku and Shin with the other three in tow. Gohan smirked down at the prince and snorted in amusement.

"Hmph. It's okay, you're not my type anyway."

"Brat! Just because you saved my son from me back on earth, I won't hit you for that. Shit's happening, so I suggest you put on your game face, because you're about to be put on the spot."

Goku overheard their conversation and reached out to clap Gohan on the shoulder with a grin. One which Gohan couldn't help but return.

"Hey Vegeta, take it easy on him huh? He's just trying to make a light bit of fun."

Vegeta grunted in irritation and released Gohan, turning towards the supreme Kai with a scowl.

"Alright runt, everyone is here. _Now _will you tell us what the hell is going on? You said it was important."

That caught everyone's attention, though Shin seemed to not notice the presence of a new face amongst them. Gohan put it to the back of his mind, wondering inwardly what amusing situation this was going to create.

"Buu's escaped from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Fortunately these two have managed to get to the point that they can use the fusion dance with some… eh… who is this?"

For the first time, Shin seemed to notice the old Kai standing there with a visible vein pulsing in his forehead. The two locked eyes and Shin paled slightly.

"Um… Kibito… who… is that an old me?!"

The response from the old Kai was immediate and harsh, forcing those around him to cower slightly.

"NO YOU'RE JUST A YOUNGER, DUMBER, ME! WHO IN THE WORLD EVER HEARD OF A SUPREME KAI LOSING SO MUCH OF HIS ABILITIES, NOT TO MENTION THE LACK OF RESPECT FOR HIS ELDERS!"

"Ehhh… Do… have we met venerable elder?"

"I'm you dumbass! I don't even want to gander at how many generations have passed in the last six million years, but if you're the outcome then OBVIOUSLY something was done wrong!"

Gohan smirked and crossed his arms with a smug expression. He enjoyed Shin's discomfort.

"Six and a half…"

Shin's mouth opened and closed a couple times as he tried to figure out what he was supposed to say. Oddly enough, it was King Vegeta who was the one to bring it all back down.

"Yea this is hilarious and all, but what the hell do you want?! First this old guy interrupts our training and does that 'unlocking' crap to the brat, then we get dragged back here, and you tell us that Buu has escaped! We can put this on back burner, just tell us what needs to happen!"

Gohan could have smacked himself in the head for somehow not catching that bit of information.

_How the hell can I be thinking about that sort of shit when Buu is out?! Seriously, what the hell am I thinking?! Back on track, we gotta go take him down._

"Where is Buu now? You said he's escaped, so I'm guessing you know where?"

Shin wiped a stray bead of sweat from his brow and fought to collect himself, casting a wary glance towards the fuming old Kai occasionally.

"Yes. As I was saying. Goku and Vegeta have managed to do fusion with a relatively successful rate, and I trust that you've been trained as well? With Z-sword in hand, you three collectively have the most power at your disposal to take down Buu for good. He reappeared in an uninhabited area of the Galaxy more towards the core, but still within a relatively close range of your system. He doesn't need to breathe so he can travel in space without hindrance. I estimate his arrival at Sol in something like ten hours. But that's a rough guess, it could be much more or less. The choice is yours to make now. Do you want to go back now and prepare, or would you like to continue training until you know you can beat him?"

Silence followed his words. Gohan thought hard about the situation. He was certain that ten hours wasn't enough to finish his work with the Oozaru form, and he hadn't tested out his abilities just yet with this new form he'd been given. He had no clue what it was Goku and Vegeta had been doing, but the Kai's seemed to think it would help. Then came thoughts about the people left behind. If the Kai was right, ten hours could be enough time to find them all and evacuate them somewhere else in case he _did _have to use the Oozaru. Or at least to get the important ones away. He weighed his options.

_Dende is my first priority, as much as I hate to say it. If he dies, then there goes our chances of reviving the rest of the world's people. The Namekian dragon balls can only do one at a time. With those two wishes, we can restore the people and maybe even erase the memories of this from their minds… I have to talk to Dende._

"Well I don't know about Vegeta, but I think that we have to keep going at this fusion thing to get it down perfect. We can't afford to be out of the game for half an hour because we goofed it up."

Goku's words brought Gohan quickly out of his own mind. He looked towards his father and Vegeta and the both of them were looking intently at Shin, with no doubts in their eyes. That accounted for them. Gohan scratched at the back of his head and furrowed his brow in thought.

"Alright, you two should do that then. But we need a plan in case this gets worse before it gets better. If Buu can get there sooner then we need someone to at least hold him off, and I think that it had better be me. If for some reason it takes longer, then I can find a way to contact you and tell you that you have more time. We have to take advantage of everything we have at our disposal, especially time. I'm already alive again, courtesy of this old geezer-"

"HEY!"

"- _so _if I go back I can get a good scope of what's going on, and we can go from there… Kibito, can I ask you to do me a favor?"

The pink Kai quirked an eyebrow at him and gestured for him to continue, much to the confusion of the others present.

"I want you to be on standby to move at a minimum, one person from Earth to new planet Namek. Do you know where that is?"

"Of course I do. Why?"

"He's our guardian, the one who the fate of the dragon balls is tied to. If he dies, this is going to be a lot more complicated. I want to save more, but if all else fails, he _has _to be evacuated. That may be our only chance of bringing this guy down and repairing the damage. Now, dad-"

He turned to Goku, who was already looking at him with an excited expression. The halos burning above his and Vegeta's heads were the first thing that stuck out at him. Second was what had been done to himself.

"You two are still dead, but you were able to return to Earth for a time. Regardless, I think it would be best if you were revived before coming back. Also, if we can get you two to have your potential unlocked like me-"

"Not happening."

The old Kai's interruption caught him completely off guard, and all eyes were now on him. Gohan felt his temper flare slightly. If he was refusing to do it for some silly reason, then he'd have to _coerce _the old guy to do it.

"What?"

"Not happening!"

There was no emotion behind the words, in fact it seemed that the old Kai seemed a bit let down.

"Why not?"

"To put it bluntly, there's nothing for me to do with these two. You were unsure and your mind was scattered. These two are of solid mind and spirit, and I can't do anything else for them. They're at their potential already. Like I said, I sensed it in you. Not them."

"You mean they're maxed out?!"

"Well _I _can't do anything for them. That doesn't mean they're maxed out, but judging by their current strength, a fusion between the two of them would be impressive to say the least. To be honest I'm surprised that technique survived for so long. I thought it had died out before I was entombed… Speaking of… Why in the world are we not going to Beerus for this?!"

Goku and Gohan shared a confused look, still unsure who this Beerus character was while the other three Siyans exchanged what appeared to be an unsure glance. It was like the name struck a chord in them all, which hinted that they had all met this Beerus before. But Kibito cut in, his voice grim.

"Lord Beerus hasn't been seen for forty years, and nobody has actually seen where he rests. He doesn't emerge from the abyss very often. Before that it was over a hundred years since his last visit. Simply put, we don't know _how _to find him."

The old Kai crossed his arms and mumbled something that sounded oddly like "Traitorous old bastard." Gohan discarded the information, deeming it unnecessary for the problem at hand. Regaining his train of thought, he shook the old Kai's shoulder lightly.

"Okay yea, whatever. Look, even if you can't help them there, you can revive them right?"

"Well… I don't see why not. After all, it doesn't look like Junior here can do it now can he?"

Shin flinched under the hard glare Gohan sent him. He'd had his suspicions that the supreme Kai wasn't really able to return Goku's life, but now that he knew, he kinda wished he'd just beaten the Kai instead of letting him off so easy. Gohan sighed and ran a hand down his face.

"Fine, if you wouldn't mind? I suppose you could use it as training for these two as well. Who knows, maybe they'll stop crashing people's lives and start using some of the power that they're supposed to have."

"Oh, they're going to have _plenty _of training while I'm still around. The state of the universe has fallen to the point that I don't really have a choice."

"Great. Okay so I go back, I'll get to Dende and make sure he's secure and ready to move on a moment's notice. I'll try to grab the others and get them to safety too. As soon as I sense Buu, or he makes an appearance, I'll contact you through Dende or… Yea, make sure that King Kai is on board with all this too? He could be a big help here. When things start happening, I'll need Kibito to come get as many away as he can. Dad, I'll leave it up to you when to come back, but I don't exactly know how long I'll be able to stall Buu if I'm incapable of killing him myself. We're gambling a lot on timing here, and if Buu makes a move that we can't anticipate, this may not end well at all… You guys got any issues with that?"

After a few moments of deliberation, nobody posed a counter argument. It was strange, but given the situation, Gohan was loving all of this. He felt in control, _really _in control for the first time in his life. _He _was laying out the plan, not following orders or simply acting on gut instinct. This time he would be prepared. This time he was going to make it work. This time _he _had the jump on his enemy. Goku clapped him on the shoulder and grinned up at his son.

"We'll be ready in time Gohan, don't you worry. Vegeta won't say it out loud, but he's ready to do his part too."

"Don't put words in my mouth Kakarot! The only reason I give a shit is because you and I have unfinished business when this is all over, and you will _not _be dead when we have our rematch!"

"Yea yea. We'll get him Gohan, and when it's over you and I can go fishing, just like old times!"

Gohan allowed a small smile to turn the corners of his lips up. It was a nice thought, though it felt weird being talked to like he was a young boy again. Actually it was kind of embarrassing. He noticed Bardock and Vegeta Sr. out of the corner of his eye and couldn't help but notice they seemed to be a bit _too _accepting of this plan.

"You two got anything to add?"

Bardock shrugged and reached up to pull the red headband off of his forehead, holding it out towards his grandson.

"No. We've long accepted our fate in this universe, so we don't expect to be able to have any say in its happenings. This is your world to conquer, your enemy to vanquish. We will watch from afar, but more than that we cannot do. I wish you luck Grandson… This was my best friend's, fallen in battle against Frieza's men. Think of it as the blood of the Saiyan race riding with you into battle, so that we may at least have some hand in it all."

Gohan accepted it with a nod, knowing what the symbolism of such a thing meant to his grandfather, and to the King. He stared at it hard for a moment before wrapping it tightly around his wrist and tying it off, holding it up for them to see.

"The first hit that lands is going to have the power of the Saiyan's backing it. You'll get your wish. Buu will fall at the hands of a Saiyan."

Bardock and even King Vegeta gave a confident smirk at that and nodded. With things out of the way, Gohan hefted the weight of the Z sword on his back and turned towards Kibito.

"Kibito, I think it's time I go home. There's no time to waste."

Kibito nodded and reached out to grasp his shoulder. Gohan turned towards the other two Saiyans and gave them a meaningful look.

"I'll be seeing you both soon on the battlefield. Don't be late or I'll be forced to kill him all by myself."

He let himself smirk at the challenge, which the two of them accepted with smirks of their own before darkness closed in around him and he vanished into the void once more. With a pop mere seconds later he emerged to the familiar scent of the Earth's air. But it was tinged with a foul odor. It smelled of fire and death, and of fear. The air was rank with it. As his eyes opened, a horrific sight greeted him. They were standing on top of what remained of the lookout. Most of the platform was completely destroyed, blasted out from the center like an enormous bomb had gone off. There were no signs of life there. He felt his breath hitch at first, but then relaxed when he felt the presence of life below. He gritted his teeth, recognizing where the tinge of fear was coming from without having to look hard at all.

_Shit… What a fucking mess. Things are worse here than I originally thought._

"We will await your word young Saiyan. A dead Kai cannot remain amongst the living long, so time it carefully. Remember, the Supreme Kai said ten hours. Good luck."

Gohan nodded towards him and Kibito vanished without a trace, leaving Gohan alone. Taking a moment, Gohan closed his eyes and breathed deeply, feeling his new lungs fill fully and sensing all of the peculiar smells on the air. He'd never realized how much he appreciated his senses until they were taken from him. The Kai's planet was nice, but it lacked the feel of the Earth. It lacked that feeling of home. He allowed himself to get lost in the nostalgia of being back on his own planet for only a moment before extending his senses out in search for the strongest ki he could find.

"Okay guys, where are you?"

After a few minutes he still couldn't find anything and felt a slight pang of panic. Refusing to succumb so easily, he shook his head and thought about the whole picture. Buu was obviously not there, so Krillin was probably with the others trying to do damage control. Dende was likely hiding somewhere and needed to be found. Another consciousness pressed against his and he immediately put his guard up, blocking his mind off before he could identify them. The result was a pained wail of an oddly familiar voice echoing in his mind.

_**"OW! What the hell did you do that for? Jeesh, I just sensed you were alive and thought I might be able to fill you in!"**_

He paused, placing the voice but still a bit unsure of his own judgement.

_King Kai?_

_**"Yea it's me! Why did you go and zap me like that? That hurts you know?"**_

_ Umm… Sorry about that, you just surprised me is all. What's up?_

_**"Ugh… between you, your old man, and these damned Saiyans… Look, I communicated with Krillin earlier and told him to send Dende to find Miss Videl."**_

_Videl?! Is she okay?_

_**"Yea, but she barely made it out that way. She disappeared along with Dende and I have no clue where they are. I don't know the layout of your planet so I can't tell you where to look. But I bet if you find Krillin, he can tell you where he dropped her, and you can go from there. You are after her right?"**_

_Well… Actually my first priority has to be Dende in this situation, but Videl is a close fucking second. _

_**Ummm… Really?**_

_Really. Without Dende, saving Videl right now may be knocked down a few pegs on my priority list. _

_**Touché. Alright, well regardless, you need to find Krillin first. I've been able to keep watch, but you should probably hear the situation from someone who's been there the whole time, and I want to focus on my current task. I'll keep my eyes on the sky, and I'll let you know as soon as I can sense Buu getting close okay? It's the best I can do from my current position.**_

Gohan sighed and smiled a small smile. It was nice to know that somewhere out there was a Kai still willing to help him out without having some sort of skewed motive.

_Thanks King Kai, it means a lot. I'll get going, please let me know as soon as you get an update okay?_

_**"Yea, just do me a favor and don't try to block me again? My antennae can't withstand that sort of power surge multiple times."**_

With that the consciousness disappeared entirely. Gohan shouldered the heavy blade on his back once more and sprinted towards the edge of the lookout in the direction of West City. Excitement surged through him as he realized he was mere minutes away from seeing any of his old friends again. That he was going to see her again.

_ Hang on a bit guys, I'm coming._

***CAPSULE CORP. – 24HR AFTER BUU'S ENTRAPMENT***

Chiaotzu calmly settled onto the top of the family dome that all of his friends were resting in. Even Krillin had just dropped away into what he knew was a fitful slumber. He kept his eyes glued to the sky, watching for any hint of light, any sort of indication that something was happening. He could sense nearby humans scuttling about the mostly abandoned city. They'd evacuated and scattered across the country, trying to find hiding in any place they could until the all clear could be given. The only real gathering of people left was directly beneath his feet. The remaining Z-gang was all here, along with Hercule, who had accompanied them in the hopes of finding his daughter. He didn't particularly like the big buffoon, but even Chiaotzu had to admire the man's sheer determination to find his only child.

A disturbance in the air caught his attention, and he looked in the direction he thought it was coming from. Nothing stuck out, but he held his breath in anticipation, preparing to call out the alarm. But he found himself completely floored by the explosion of power that shot through his senses as it entered within the city. He'd restricted his ki sensing to a small area of a few square miles, and this thing was closing on them fast. He could barely breathe for the amount of shock it put him in. It was intense, vast, and most importantly it was familiar. His eyes widened as the worst possibility sank in.

_Oh kami, its Buu!_

He turned and prepared to dart into the building and rouse the others when the ki spiked twice, an indicator that the Z fighters had made to identify each other with ki alone. He pulled up short and turned back towards the direction the ki was coming from, and vaguely made out a lone figure coming towards him, shrouded in darkness against the night sky. He could feel Krillin's ki stir below him, shortly followed by the three children. But his eyes were glued to the figure. A numbness spread from his chest as it became more and more clear until Chiaotzu had no doubt who it was he was looking at. That tall figure, the spiky black hair, with a scar on his face and decked out in Saiyan battle armor complete with a sword across his back. There was only one man who he could have been.

"Gohan!"

Chiaotzu couldn't help himself, he leapt into the air and rushed towards the incoming Saiyan with a grin on his face. Gohan slowed and allowed the little man to crash into his chest, hugging him around his middle. The two of them laughed with their happiness to see the other, even though the two of them hadn't been particularly close. For Gohan it was seeing a familiar face that was still alive and well, and for the other it seemed like a miracle come to life. After a short embrace the two parted and Chiaotzu stammered over his own words.

"I can't believe it! When-. How-… What's going on? We weren't sure if you were going to come back or not! And look at you! You're so different than before!"

Gohan chuckled and motioned for them to settle on the ground at the base of the dome, still grinning from ear to ear.

"That's a long story, and one I intend to let you all in on once this is all over. Suffice to say that I'm back, stronger than before, and that's just the start of it. We've got a lot to talk about, where are the others?"

Chiaotzu looked towards the building, sensing that Krillin had met up with the three children and that Roshi was rushing upstairs, no doubt to "wake" Bulma in her private room.

"They're all inside right now. We came here yesterday after Krillin and Master Roshi managed to trap Buu. I'm sure you noticed, we're all suppressing our Ki since Buu could be back any moment."

"Well, actually that's part of the reason I'm here right now. I'll explain it all soon. Don't worry about hiding your ki anymore okay? It's safe for now."

Chiaotzu nodded and took a careful step away from Gohan, pointing towards the front door.

"Yea, well you had better prepare yourself Son, you're about to get a welcoming committee."

Gohan knew it was coming, but he couldn't stop the racing of his heart. He could feel them, they were so close to him now. Then the door burst open and there, frozen in the door-frame like a perfectly timed reaction photo was his little brother and sister, closely followed by an equally dumb-struck Trunks and Krillin. It took a mere fraction of a second for the anxious tension there to break, and the twins were rushing towards him.

"GOHAN!"

"BIG BROTHER!"

He didn't even have time to react as they plowed into his midsection, knocking him back and off his feet. The three of them fell to the ground with both the kids clutching to him with a grip that could have strangled a dinosaur, and he returned their embrace with just as much fire. The two kids were already in tears, not even attempting to hide what they were feeling in that moment. It was all Gohan could do to remain in control of his own powerful emotions. He sat up with the two of them still attached to his chest and squeezed them both to him tighter.

"Goten… Ria… I missed you both."

Ria just buried her face further into his chest and sobbed, but Goten managed to look up at him with those painfully adorable features of his. Tears still streaked down his face, but he still managed to find his voice through his constricted throat.

"Big brother, don't leave us again! You didn't come back with dad and the others! Don't leave us anymore, please!"

Gohan pat his hair down and smiled reassuringly at him while gently stroking his little sister's back in an attempt to calm her.

"Don't worry squirts, I'm back and I promise it's for good. You two have been watching out for mom and the others for me… I'm so proud of you."

For a few seconds he just held them, reveling in the warm feelings that were flooding him. He looked up and found Krillin grinning at him and holding onto a clearly emotional Trunks. Deciding that he still had work to do, he picked his brother up to rest on his shoulders and cradled his sister with his left arm. He stepped forward and reached out to meet Krillin's outstretched hand.

"Hey old man."

"Gohan, you have no idea how happy I am to see you. Most of the remaining guys are all inside resting, but we can rouse them if you want."

Gohan couldn't help but feel bad at how choked up the short man's voice was. He knew his death would hit them all, but he hadn't anticipated such a strong reaction from those he'd greeted already. Nevertheless, he had a job to do, and information to pass on. There wasn't much time, so he grudgingly shook his head and put on a slightly more serious face.

"Could you? I know it's late and you're all tired, but this is important. Listen, I have to find Dende, and King Kai said you might know where he went?"

Krillin nodded knowingly and patted Trunks on the head.

"Yea, I sent him and Popo after Videl, who hopefully went to your home in the mountains. Go, I know you wouldn't be back unless Buu was either dead or about to make an appearance. The little soldiers and I will hold down the fort until then okay?"

Gohan dropped to his knees and gently pried the twins off of him, holding each by one of their shoulders and smiling reassuringly at them all.

"Don't worry about that okay? We'll know a long time before anything happens. I'll go collect Videl, Dende, and Popo and be right back. Then I'll explain the situation. You don't have to do anything more guys, trust me."

"But big brother!"

"You just got back Gohan…"

Even Trunks threw in his two cents.

"Why are you leaving again when you've been gone for days?"

Gohan chuckled and ruffled each of their heads in turn before standing straight.

"Don't worry you guys, I'll be back before you know it. Krillin, can you take them in and settled down? I won't be long."

"Alright, will do. But Gohan…"

"Hm?"

"Don't get _too _distracted when you see her again."

He let that hang in the air with a devious wink, which made Gohan blush nervously for the first time in a while. He laughed sheepishly and turned with a wave, taking to the air to hide his nerves.

_Man did he have to bring that up? I'm already nervous enough as it is…_

Quelling his anxiety, he took a deep breath and powered through the air, breaking the sound barrier without any effort and quickly making his way to the mountains and his home. It took him a mere ten minutes to cover the distance, and he was immediately relieved to see that someone had started a fire in the chimney. He grinned and tried to spot someone in the darkness from the long distance he still had to cover, still not sensing anyone there. His heartbeat pounded in his ears as he approached, and then there was a sudden rush of sensations. Above them all was a sense of sorrow and grief, not too powerful for him to overcome, but still strong enough for him to make out easily. It caused a momentary pause for him as he continued to hurtle towards home. He wasn't sensing ki, it was like he was sensing emotion alone.

_Videl…_

When he considered it all, there was no doubt in his mind now, they had started forming a bond. They must have not been able to tell before he died, but now that it was back suddenly, it was obvious. He wondered if Videl felt what he was feeling, and nervously prepared himself for what he knew was going to be a momentous reunion. He was within a few hundred feet now, and slowed himself rapidly to touch down. He could sense one ki now, but it wasn't her. His feet touched the ground a mere fifty feet from the door, and he jogged to a stop, noting that the ki inside was at a constantly low level, barely fluctuating.

He reached for the door and hesitated when he heard a soft voice from inside. He couldn't make it out, but it definitely sounded like a young man. Realizing that it couldn't be Videl inside, despite his assurance that he was feeling the link between them open a bit, he prepared himself to act. He grabbed hold of the door-handle with one hand and the hilt of the Z-sword with the other. He took a sharp breath and pushed the door inwards without a sound. What greeted his eyes made him freeze.

There wasn't one person, there were three. And all three of them were the people he was looking for. On the couch in the living room, facing away from him, was Videl. His heart jumped in his chest as he caught a brief whiff of her scent. Across from her, seated in his mother's rocker was Dende, grinning at him as if he had been expecting him for a while now. Popo merely stood there with his ever-blank stare.

"Oh. Hello Gohan."

At the mention of his name, Videl shot up and spun, freezing on the opposite side of the couch facing him with a look of complete shock on her features. Their eyes locked and in that brief moment everything froze. Gohan couldn't believe how intense his own feelings were at that moment, and wondered if perhaps he was feeling some of her confused emotions as well. She blinked a few times as if to make sure that he was really standing in that door-way. Gohan nervously smiled and took a deep breath, unsure what to do with himself.

"Hey Videl."

It was all he could struggle out. She seemed worse for wear, as if his voice had thrown her into an even deeper state of shock. Her jaw worked, her lower lip quivered, and tears began to brim her bright cerulean eyes. Without any warning she vaulted the couch and sprinted the short distance to him, crashing into him and throwing her arms around his middle. Gohan, slightly caught off guard, hesitated to catch her at first. But as soon as she made contact nothing else really mattered. She clutched to him with all her might and Gohan held her as her sobs were buried in his armor. Kami, how good it felt for him to hold her again. It had never occurred to him how amazing the sensation was, just holding someone you love like this. That it took him dying to realize it brought a small amount of regret and shame to him. But no more, this was something he wouldn't ever take lightly again.

"D-dammit… Dammit Gohan!"

He was caught off guard by her words, choked out between sobs. She backed off enough to look up at him and he felt his heart sink rapidly at the look on her face. Those bright eyes had lost a lot of their light, and her face had lines of worry and pain etched into them. He hadn't been gone long, but in that time, he knew she had been through a lot. She bit her lip and without warning, slapped him. Gohan blinked rapidly to try and figure out what had just happened, feeling the stinging mark on his cheek. She then resorted to pounding on his chest.

"Don't _do _that to me! You died on me and I thought I'd never see you again! Do you- have any idea- how horrible I felt?!"

She yelled at him between involuntary shudders and he couldn't do anything but sit there and take it. Really, he couldn't expect anything else in the situation. But then she threw another curve-ball at him. She ceased her beating of his chest and pulled him down to her level, crushing her lips against his. Every one of his senses were tingling with excitement now. Her scent, her taste, the warmth of her skin against his. It was all so intoxicating that he was left completely disarmed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and parted her lips with his, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Once again he was left to just hold her and speculate on how he was supposed to react. In the end, he decided that just holding her while she let out all of these emotions was the best course of action.

_Talk about crazy… It's like she can't decide if she wants to hit me or hug me._

His eyes caught motion from the edge of the room and he looked up to find Dende getting to his feet, his grin still in place. The guardian clasped his hands behind his back and cleared his throat.

"Well, really I could hug you right now, but I doubt that miss Videl would be okay with letting go of you. Regardless, I hope your return means that the all-clear has been given?"

Gohan swallowed the lump in his throat and shook his head. He felt Videl tighten her grip, and the tension in her body shot up.

"Unfortunately no. There's a lot to explain, and I will explain on the way back, but we're not out of the woods yet. There's one more obstacle left before we can say this is all over. Now come on, we've got to get headed back to the others. You don't have to worry just yet, we've got plenty of time. Buu isn't on the planet right now, and I've got an early warning system in place for when he does come."

That clearly wasn't what any of them were hoping to hear, but the fact that they were in no immediate danger set them a bit more at ease. Dende sighed and rubbed the back of his head, and Videl stepped away from him, looking up at him with a look of pure worry.

"You're going to fight him again?"

He smiled weakly and held her by the shoulders.

"I have to Videl. But this time we'll be ready."

"We?"

He chuckled, remembering that none of the others knew what he knew yet.

"Yea, I'll tell the whole thing when we get to Capsule Corp okay? But we have to go, there isn't any time to spare."

With that they began their way towards West City. They didn't have to gather anything besides the capsule holding the dragon balls and Gohan was pleasantly surprised with how adept Videl had become with flying. With her clinging to one of his hands and the other two following close by, the land began to dart by beneath them. It wasn't nearly as fast as he was capable of going, but they would reach west city within an hour easily. Right at the start of their journey, Gohan was nearly taken clean out of the sky by the giant purple dragon that bolted up towards him from the trees below. Only a quick dodge and release of Videl's hand prevented him from accidentally shaking her like a rag-doll. Instead he found himself laid out on top of Icarus' head, spread-eagle as the behemoth let out a deep rumble of a growl.

"Whoa! Hey Icarus, it's good to see you too bud!"

The response was a groaning whine of sorts that elicited a chuckle from the others. Just like Videl, it was clear that Icarus had been going through a lot recently. He stroked the dragon's cheek and smiled down into the giant blue-green eye that stared back at him. He hopped off the dragon's head and took to the air flawlessly, resuming his position next to Videl, now with Icarus in the middle of their formation.

"He missed you Gohan."

Her voice rang in his ears. He didn't think that his leaving would have such a profound effect on so many. It tugged at his heart, and he squeezed her hand reassuringly.

_Man, it's just like when dad died after Cell… Kami, is that what I did to my friends and family? There's no way I can make that up to them. I get the feeling that I'm going to be getting a lot of "I was worried"s from everyone…_

"Well, you gonna come with us boy? I don't think an empty city is going to mind too much if a Dragon takes up residence in the middle of it."

Icarus Yapped at him and beat his wings a little harder, sending himself tossing about randomly with excitement. Videl chuckled and grabbed onto Gohan's arm.

"Well, I think that's a definite yes. Come on, let's hurry there. I wanna see the others, and I want to know everything that's happened."

Gohan smirked and looked over his shoulder towards Dende and Popo, who was sitting calmly atop his carpet.

"You guys keep up! Videl, hold on tight, I'm going to give us a boost."

She complied all too willingly, and Gohan couldn't help the smile on his face at her warmth. With his spirits higher than they'd been in a long while, he pumped his ki out behind him and together they shot off towards west City. Needless to say, it didn't take hardly any time at all to actually reach Capsule corp., and the two of them had left the others far behind. They touched down and Gohan checked around to see where the others were. It appeared that most of the Z-gang had risen from their slumber, no doubt due to Krillin and the others. He could feel them moving about inside the huge complex. He glanced down at the girl still within his grasp and felt the happiness in his chest dim a considerable amount.

_There's not enough time left before Buu arrives for us to actually spend any time together. I've no doubt that once I step inside that building, I'm going to have my work cut out for me planning everything. I don't like it, but we're going to have to wait until after this is all over._

It must have shown on his face that he was slightly put out, because her smile shifted to a worried frown and she linked her hands together behind his neck, forcing him to look back at her.

"Gohan, what's wrong? Are you worried about the fight?"

He hesitated, wondering what he was to say. Should he tell her that she needed to hold on? To wait? He decided that he wanted to just enjoy what he could get, since it was possible he would never get the chance again. He put on what he thought was a reassuring smile and leaned in to plant a soft kiss on her forehead.

"No. I'm alright Videl, don't you worry about me, okay?"

She was skeptical, and he knew it. But she didn't say anything to get him to say otherwise. For a few moments they just stood there, holding each-other and waiting for the other to say that they had to go in. Gohan sighed, feeling Dende and Popo arriving on the scene as well.

"Well… shall we?"

Videl merely nodded grabbing onto his hand and walking with him up to the front of the building. As they approached, she elbowed him in the ribs, catching his attention and smirking up at him.

"You ready?"

"For?"

"Well… You just got back."

"Yea…?"

"Really? You saw how I reacted back there, now you've got _four more _grown women who are probably going to do something similar. Just imagine what your mom is going to say, or Bulma…"

"Hnnn… I hadn't thought of what mom was going to do yet… Thanks, _now _I'm scared."

She chuckled at his new-found discomfort and squeezed his hand comfortingly. As if she knew what he was worrying about earlier, she halted him right outside the door and turned him to face her.

"Listen, Gohan… I know that things are about to get a little crazy when we go in there, but… well… just tell me that you and I will get to be together after this is all over… Okay?"

Gohan nodded, sealing their deal off with a simple kiss before pushing open the main door to the family dome and stepping inside. It was a short journey through familiar halls to make it to the large recreational area where Gohan could feel the ki of almost everyone gathered. He hadn't even been able to gather who was where before he was being attacked by several people at once.

"GOHAN!"

First was his adopted sister, shortly followed by his mother and his little siblings once more. They all slammed into him, barely making room for the others as they re-embraced him. Videl politely stepped out of the way, only to be nearly tackled by her distraught father as Lime and Chi Chi crushed Gohan's chest with hugs, and the twins immediately attached to his legs. Were it not for the fact that he was naturally stronger than all of them combined, he would have been completely unable to breathe. True to his and Videl's predictions, he was given a whole list of reasons why he shouldn't have made them worry, a short tirade by his mother about how he never should have left in the first place, and several "don't ever do that again"s between bone-crushing hugs and several kisses to the cheek. It was all happening so quickly that he had no idea what to say or do. So he just waited patiently with a nervous smile on his face as all at once the entire gang greeted him and Videl.

Finally, the crowd seemed to calm a bit and Lime grabbed a hold of him again, pulling one of his free hands towards her and placing her clenched fist into his palm. Her eyes were full of tears and her face was streaked, but Gohan was just glad that she was okay and happy to see him. He smiled at her, breathing deeply to control his own emotions.

"This is yours Gohan. I've been holding onto it for you…"

She planted something in his outstretched hand and then pulled him into a hug, gentler than before. Gohan returned it and looked over her shoulder at his hand she had dropped his ring in. It was exactly as he remembered it, though now it was free of its leather cord. The sight of the little relic in his palm choked him up, and he was at a loss for words. All of his friend's gaunt and strained faces surrounding him again, welcoming him back with such enthusiasm and happiness… It seemed as if this was the first good thing they had had in days to rejoice over. It was all so much for him to take at once. He regretted not being able to be there, even before dying. His being so absorbed in his own problems before prevented him from realizing that he wasn't alone in the world. He held Lime out at arm's length and addressed them all.

"I'm sorry guys… I know that you've been through a lot, and I'm afraid that I may have to ask you to hold out a little while longer. Bulma, can we take this to one of your conference rooms? We've got a lot to talk about."

***A SHORT WHILE LATER***

"Okay, so that's it…"

Silence fell through the entire room. All eyes were on Gohan, and several of them seemed unhappy with what he had said. His mother in particular seemed opposed to it, as did Videl and Bulma. But his mother picked up the conversation first.

"So let me get this straight. You, your father, and Vegeta are all going to stay here and fight Buu, and your plan is to have that pink Kai take us off-world when he arrives?"

Gohan already knew that she wouldn't like the idea, but in his mind, this was the only way to be sure. He had to protect them, and the best way to do that was to get them away from the fight.

"Yea mom… That's it. King Kai is keeping an eye out for us, and should be letting us know as soon as he detects Buu incoming. Once that happens, I'm going to use Dende's connection with him to relay a message to Kibito. Dad and Vegeta will come back then and we will stop Buu here."

"No."

"What?"

"I said no Gohan! If this is to be the final battleground then we should stay! If you can't stop him then nowhere is safe, right? Why-"

"Mom!"

Bulma grabbed onto her shoulder and the two of them shared a despairing look. The bluenette sighed and gave Gohan a piercing glare.

"Look Gohan, I don't like this plan… But I think I know why you're going through with it. You want to get Dende out as a priority right? So we'll to go with them."

Chi Chi stood up and glared down at her friend.

"Bulma! What are-"

"Look Chi! I don't like it, but if we're here then Gohan is going to be worried about our safety instead of how to kill Buu. Whether or not we like it is irrelevant, if we're here, then we will be in the way."

Gohan held his breath as he awaited their reaction. Almost everyone there seemed to be on his mother's side with this, particularly those who he had been closer to. But none of them could pose a counter to her logic on the situation, and Gohan was thankful that she was there as a voice of reason. Chi Chi sighed in defeat and sat back down, looking at her hands clasped on the table while Bulma patted her back affectionately. Those blue eyes found his again, and a more worried look crossed her face.

"But I wonder Gohan, what about the rest of the people on Earth? If I'm correct in my guess, you guys are going to make a mess of this planet, and I won't consider it an impossibility that it might get destroyed. There's still an enormous amount of life here, what will you do about that?"

There was a subject he was hesitant to approach. While he had been able to determine that less that one sixth of the Earth's population remained, there were still too many people there for him to remove to safety in the time afforded. Even if he had several days, he couldn't get them all out. He cast his gaze to the table, leaning forward onto his elbows and furrowing his brow.

"I want to get them away… All of them… But I know that I can't. The best I can do is try to clear the battleground and hope that everyone else stays away. Krillin, Bulma, I may need your help for this one. You too Mr. Satan."

At the mention of his name, Hercule jolted up in surprised. He wasn't the only one who seemed shocked either, as many shot quizzical looks between the two. Gohan locked eyes with Bulma and gestured towards the older fighter.

"Bulma, can you send out a short range broadcast using your equipment here? I want Hercule to be the one sending the message: Everyone who can make it, gather at the city hall as soon as possible for Evacuation. When Kibito arrives, I want to try and get them out in one go, and clear the city. Krillin will have to try and help you round everyone up, along with anyone else here who can help…"

"Ummm… Yea kid sure… But why me?"

Gohan smirked and leaned back in the chair.

"Because you're the world savior to these people. They'll listen to you far sooner than they would listen to me. No doubt if they know you're there, then they'll come flocking to you… Are we all agreed?"

A moment of silence followed before a chorus of affirmations rang from around the table. Gohan stood with a nod of his head and looked towards the clock on the wall, trying to guess as best he could how much time was left.

"Okay, so if I'm correct, then we should have another six hours or so until-"

_**"Hey! Can you guys hear me?"**_

The sudden interruption elicited a shocked yell from a couple at the table who had never been subject to King Kai's telepathy before. Gohan felt his heart drop into his stomach.

_Crap! We can't be out of time already?!_

Gohan and Krillin waved them all down and asked them for silence. After a second or two, it was Gohan who responded.

"Yea King Kai, we hear you. What's going on?"

_**"Well, I've got good news and bad news."**_

"Great… Okay, bad news first then."

_**"Well… It's to do with the Saiyans actually. I'm back on my own planet now at the end of snake way. The Supreme Kai sent me back here, stating that the Saiyans were no longer able to protect me, so I have no clue what's going on with that. All I managed to gather before I left was that your father and Vegeta were involved somehow."**_

Gohan silently cursed whatever plan Shin was hatching in his absence. Everything hinged on whether or not his father and Vegeta would make it back. Of course, if they couldn't, then he would have to make his final stand. He didn't have a choice. Not wanting to jump to conclusions yet, he buried his worries behind a mask of calm acceptance and crossed his arms.

"So be it… what's the good news?"

_**"Well, believe it or not, Supreme Kai was wrong with his estimate. I've found Buu, to be honest it's kinda hard not to… He's leaving a huge wake of destruction on his way there, but he's still far beyond the edge of your cluster system there. I'd say about twenty hours, give or take a couple."**_

That lifted a bit of a weight off of his chest, realizing that he had even more time to act. A collective feeling of relief seemed to radiate through the room.

"Okay, that's good. Let's operate on the assumption that we have another 18 hours to be safe. Can you get in touch with Kibito or Shin and make sure they know to be ready?"

_**"Of course! I'm way ahead of you kid."**_

"Thanks King Kai… Okay, Bulma? Let's get that broadcast out. We've got a bit of time. Everyone, I'll be up for a while longer making preparations. Please, for me, go get some sleep while you can. Tomorrow is going to come quickly."

***LATER – GOHAN'S ROOM***

Gohan sighed heavily and removed his sword from his back, his skull hurting from all the events of the night. He leaned it up against the wall and pulled his chest plate up and over his head. He paused a moment, staring down at the armor and thinking about it all.

It hadn't taken long to get a recording of Hercule's message and start the broadcast. What had taken a while was trying to get everyone settled enough to get some rest, and he had personally gone around to try and make it happen. Everyone had a reason to want to talk, all of them curious about the details of his time in other-world. But he had decided that he would have to just tell them about it once his job was finished, and left them all with a promise to watch over them and that he would see them all soon. He knew that not everyone was going to be able to sleep given the situation, but he managed to make it so that they at least tried. He spent what time he could with his family, staying with them until sleep took them. It had been difficult removing himself from Lime's unconscious grasp when he decided that he had to try and get some sleep himself.

_Once again I'm reminded of how precious time is, especially when it is so fleeting. Man, I can't believe that I spent so long avoiding everyone… Funny, how death makes you realize what you were missing in life._

He shook the thought from his mind and dropped the plate next to the Z-sword. A quiet knock echoed in his room and he looked hesitantly to the door. It swung in a little and a familiar face pushed around the side of it. Videl locked eyes with him and looked nervously towards the ground at her feet.

"Gohan… Can I come in?"

"Of course."

He turned and found himself staring at his reflection in the mirror, seeing his body fully for the first time since before he had died. It was familiar, yet alien at the same time. His frame was identical, his build as refined and sturdy as before, but no more were all the scars that showed his history. Gone was all but one of the scars that had given all who witnessed it a story of his life. A fact not lost on Videl as she quietly padded into the room, shutting the door behind her. The sound of her footsteps caused him to turn towards her, watching her out the corner of his eye. Her presence alone soothed his aching mind.

"Your scars… They're gone."

"Yea. The Kai's deemed me worthy to have my body back, so they made me a new one…"

He hesitated there, looking back to the mirror and running a finger over the scar on his face, the one memento he had of his old life.

"But it's funny, what they've given me really is another chance to do what I should have been doing in the first place…"

"I don't understand."

"Heh… You know me Videl, better than the overwhelming majority of people who have met me. My friends and family, those people around me who I knew cared for me, yet didn't acknowledge for fear that they would be in danger. Fear has ruled my life for a long time, as if I thought that by removing them from my life would remove the fear of them being hurt."

Videl stopped, and Gohan knew she was looking at him with those same piercing blue eyes with a dissatisfied frown.

"Gohan, you know that shutting us out doesn't work."

He smiled and turned around, taking a step forward and sitting on the edge of his bed. Just as he had predicted, she didn't seem to like where he was going with this.

"I know Videl… It's a shame it took me losing it all to realize what I'd been doing, and for me to figure out what is really important in life… Time, and what we do with it. I've spent so much of it hiding in my own little world, and in the process I messed my own life up when I could have made it so much better. I could have had the greatest group of friends, and been part of an even more incredible family… It seems so silly to me now that I even refused to think of myself as my mother's Son, all in the name of protecting them… There isn't enough time for me to be doing such stupid things, I have to take all the time I've got to be with those people that matter."

She patiently waited while he spoke, letting his own thoughts out into the open for the first time since his revival. When he looked at her again, she seemed nervous, not looking at him and wringing her hands together.

"Videl?"

"It's… That's what I wanted to talk to you about Gohan… I really didn't think I was ever going to see you again. I agonized over it, and now that you're back, I don't want you to go again. I don't want to lose any more time with you."

Gohan sighed and hung his head, knowing all too well what she was feeling. He was feeling it too.

"Videl, you know I have to-"

"I know… Just… well for now…?"

He looked when he heard her move again. She came closer and closer until she was directly in front of him, her unsure and nervous expression giving way to a profound sense of hope that Gohan could feel, not of his own creation. His heart jumped in his chest as he realized what was going on, and he backed up a bit further on the bed. But he didn't do anything else as she leaned in and pressed her lips firmly against his. She lingered there for a moment before joining him on the bed and straddling him. He had no clue what he was supposed to do. Part of him desperately wanted what she was getting at, while another kept telling him not to. She broke the kiss, leaning her forehead against his and wrapping her arms around his thick neck.

"For now though, I want to make the most of what time we have left."

Just hearing those words was enough to make his stomach do a flip, while the rest of his senses kicked his hormones into over-drive. Her scent flooded his mind, her touch warming him as she was pressed against him. The taste of her lips on his left him hungering for even more. He felt his reluctance rapidly falling away to pure desire, and hers seemed to be waning fast too. Their kiss grew more desparate, their hands straying to new lands. As if in sync, their lips parted, and Gohan found himself reveling once more in the battle for dominance between their tongues. His hands strayed to her waist, and he found himself wishing that the clothes covering the curves he so longed for would disappear. Without warning, her shirt was gone. Pulled up and over her head by the raven-haired beauty herself.

_Whoa…_

The view was unreal to him. He'd seen her in her bikini before, but there was just something so different when she was undressing for him, unveiling her toned form barely clad in a bra before his very eyes. It certainly didn't help for his self-control. They resumed quickly, locking lips once more, their breathing coming in much shorter as their collective excitement built fast. Now she was grinding her hips down into him, sending shivers up his spine and sensations through him he never thought he could feel. It was barely in him anymore to resist taking her right there. She parted from their kiss to trail her lips down his jaw line, leaving tingly sensations down his neck until she hit a sensitive spot at the base of it. He inhaled sharply at the jolt of sensation running through him, and almost pure animalistic need boiled in his blood, demanding he do what he was urged to. He vaguely realized through all of his sensations that something was happening to his teeth. They ached slightly, and he drew a little blood from his tongue as he accidentally bit it with his elongated canines.

Grabbing Videl gently by the shoulders, he pushed her away just enough to look at her. She seemed surprised at first, but it gave way shortly to worry. Before she could voice them, he looked her dead in the eye, willing himself with the last of his restraint to remain in control.

"Videl, are you sure…? This… There's no turning back."

She seemed to hesitate, biting her lip nervously. But it wasn't a long wait for him. Her anxiety shifted until she was smiling at him warmly, and she nodded her head in affirmation. She came back in for another kiss. He let his hands run up her sides, feeling the warmth of her soft skin as he went. He began to trail his own lips down her neck, enjoying the sound of her breath catching with each one. He reached up and pulled the straps of her bra aside, falling off of her shoulders, but she was too occupied to notice. He could smell her blood, sense it just below the surface. He reached the base of her neck and ran his tongue across the sensitive surface, and she gasped. He held her around the waist and shut his eyes. With his heart pounding in his chest, he took a deep breath and bit down on the place he had just cleaned. His teeth sank in enough to draw blood, and she gasped, somewhere between shock, pain, and pleasure.

The sensation that followed was unbelievable. As soon as the blood passed his lips and touched his tongue, a jolt ran up his spine. A flurry of emotions and instincts fought for dominance, and it seemed that hers were mixed in as well. In that moment, what barrier remained between them was shattered, and their souls were bare for the other to see. A brief moment of pain existed between the two of them, fading until animal need and ecstasy was all that remained. He released his bite on her neck, pulling back enough for them to see each-other. He could taste a mixture of his own blood and hers on his tongue, but it didn't matter. As their eyes locked, he could see the desperate need in hers. A mere second was all it took for them to lose it completely, and she forcefully pushed him back onto the mattress, locking their lips and continuing what they began.

**A/N: Cue dramatic music and cut to credits for the episode… Or for you hentai's out there, go ahead and just throw in your favorite G/V Lemon scene. I didn't really feel the need to add one to this story, so I will leave you with that for now. I hope none of this was too big of a disappointment for anyone, there was a lot for me to try and cover in just one chapter. Next time, the beginning of the end. We're not long from concluding this fic. As always folks, please review, and have a fantastic day!**


	37. Headlights

**Howdy! Alright so as previously mentioned in my little update (which has been removed because leaving it there is really pointless in the long run), I'm back and writing again! So, to start things off, here's the next chapter. As promised, it's got a much more significant amount of action in it. But Ill let you get on to reading it, since I already made you wait too long as it is. R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 37: Headlights**

"_**The light at the end of the tunnel is just the headlights of an oncoming train."**_

Gohan sighed and tiredly looked over the crowd gathered in the center of the square before the city capital. There weren't nearly as many people there as he would have hoped, merely a couple hundred of the thousands he could still feel mulling about the area. He pulled the strap on the Z-sword a bit tighter, making the heavy blade sit higher on his back and scowled towards Hercule, with master Roshi close by him. The older fighter was doing his best to keep them there, but things were progressing worse than he had hoped. Regardless of their faith in Hercule, most of these people had lost all sense of anything besides self-preservation, and many of them were trying to leave.

"Dammit, this is bad Krillin. It's been what… twelve hours since we put out the broadcast?"

At his side, the ex-monk crossed his arms and sighed.

"Yea… I'm sorry Gohan, but it doesn't look like we're going to get that many people out. You know how we humans are, not exactly a trusting bunch when death is thrown at us. I can't say I blame them, they just don't know that this is how they survive."

Gohan ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes to think. They had a lot to do when everything was over, assuming that they came out on top. By his reckoning, Buu was still a couple hours away, so he had time to prepare, but it still wasn't much. His thoughts lingered back to the previous night and his encounter with Videl. A slight smile cracked on his lips as he thought about her. Her scent, her taste, the feel of her skin on his, that unbelievable feeling when their bond had been set with a bite, and what had come after. Parts of him still tingled with excitement at the thought, and even in the bleak conditions, his spirits were higher than they had been in a very long time. It would all be over soon. The light at the end of the tunnel was shining in the distance. He pulled himself out of his internal bliss and re-focused on the current situation, glad that Krillin either didn't notice, or didn't comment.

"Krillin, you do realize that this battle may destroy our little mud ball of a planet right? And even if it doesn't, removing the damage done is going to be no easy task."

"Yea, not to mention all the people that Buu has already killed. Bringing them back will be a shock to them. Whether or not we like it, our world is going to be permanently changed. Be prepared for extreme xenophobia kid, you aliens might get shunned."

"Pfft, not like we were really accepted in the first place… But I've been thinking about that. I don't think that we can simply turn time back, it wouldn't do any good. But they say perception is reality right? So what if we can just alter how the world saw this event? Make it seem like it was all a bad dream?"

"Eh… I think you're being overly optimistic with that one… But it's worth a shot I bet. What have we got to lose?"

***CAPSULE CORPORATION***

Goten was sitting at the window to his room, watching for people outside. He was excited that his brother was back, and his family was mostly safe. He didn't quite understand all that was going on, and he knew that his mother and Bulma were trying to keep it that way. What he did understand was that a lot of people were dead, dying, or were about to die. He also knew that they were all going to be taken somewhere safe and leaving Gohan behind with his dad and Vegeta. He didn't like it, and neither did the other two. Ria had fallen asleep on the couch just outside his room, and Trunks was off somewhere helping his mother. But he knew they had the same worries as him, and the same desires.

_I want to fight… I can help, I know I can! Gohan trained us, so we have to be able to do something._

A loud bang echoed up the hall and he spun about, looking out his door and into the hallway beyond. Ria shot up and they looked right at each other. Neither of them could feel anything moving about, but started immediately searching out for the others' ki. It took a split second of panic for them to bolt into action. A scream rent the air in two, echoing up the hall towards them. It was high pitched, and painfully loud, and more than familiar. That was the scream of their mother.

***GOHAN***

He spun on his heel as soon as something seemed off to him. He furrowed his brow and stared hard in the direction of Capsule Corp, extending his senses out. Krillin tensed near him, but Hercule was too busy to notice anything.

"Hey man, what is it? What's going…"

The sudden drop in ki from their location was all the warning he needed. Somebody had simply just disappeared, just like they had been killed. Without waiting, Gohan took to the air, bolting towards the remaining Z-fighters as quickly as he could with Krillin trailing behind. Another presence brushed against his mind, which he cautiously allowed in.

_**Gohan! It's not Buu, it can't be! I'm still tracking him, he's nowhere near you yet. Something else is going on there.**_

_I'm not taking any chances King Kai. Someone just died, and I'm not allowing another. Whatever it is, I'm killing it._

He made his way as quickly as possible towards capsule corp. Videl's ki stuck out at him like a beacon of light, and he was relieved to sense that she hadn't been caught in whatever mess was happening yet. He could vaguely make out several of the z-gang's ki behind the now elevated ki of the demon trio and Chiaotzu. There was no doubt in his mind, those four were acting. The only question was; what was happening?

The triple dome structure loomed into view, and one glance at the pillar of smoke rising from it was more than enough for him to draw the Z-sword, gritting his teeth in anger. He'd left Krillin far behind, and began panicking when he felt another ki signature fall away to nothing. He was within a mile of the building now, and another suddenly dropped off. He couldn't identify them, but definitely was able to pinpoint his little brother and sister. He found a gaping hole in the side of the family dome where the smoke was rising from and dropped in, sword at the ready. What he found froze him in place.

Ria was on hands and knees shaking a beaten and bloody form that had evidently been crushed under the debris. Goten was nearby, his body visibly shaking with rage and pain as he watched his twin try to stir the corpse. It wasn't until he saw the neatly pulled-up bun and blood-stained kimono that he realized it was his mother that had been hit. Ria was frantically trying to wake their mom, but Gohan knew it was a lost cause. A high pitched cackle rang out to him from up the hall, and Chiaotzu's ki vanished without a trace.

_I know that laugh. I'd know that laugh anywhere._

Refocusing, and forcing his grief over the loss of his mother behind his rage, he barked out orders to his siblings, catching their attention.

"You two, Krillin is right behind me! Get to safety!"

With that, he took off, completely ignoring the doors and plowing straight through the walls in a direct line towards where he felt Chiaotzu disappear. He didn't even look back at the twins, trusting that they would do as he said.

_How? How the hell is he here? King Kai said it can't be him, Buu is too far away still! And why can't I sense him?!_

He broke through the wall that led outside and immediately found his target, hunched over on his haunches and munching away at something he was stuffing in his mouth. His sickly pink skin and hulking posture left no doubt, this was definitely Buu. But it was only a tiny piece of him, no bigger than either of the twins. As he came bursting into view, the puny creature turned it's pitch black eyes towards him and grinned back at his piercing glare.

"Okay you little shit, I don't know how the fuck you're here, but you're dead!"

He didn't hesitate, he bolted forward and swung the sword upwards in a rising slash, catching the off-guard creature right between the legs. A moment of shock was all that he could register on its face before the blade cleaved clean through his length, splitting him down the middle. A weird pink fluid spurted out and spread over the grass, but Gohan knew that it was only a momentary setback. Everything he knew about Buu told him that the being would simply regenerate however he wanted.

He didn't get the chance. Before anything else could happen, Gohan kicked one half of the creature, sending it skyward. He quickly threw a ki blast after it, only to have it erupt into a huge explosion as two separate blasts struck home from outside his field of vision. He didn't look for the source of the blasts, reviling in the destruction regardless of who brought it. But it didn't satisfy him. He grabbed the other half around where the neck would be and threw it skyward, following it with his teeth bared. As expected, the other half began to morph and mold itself into an even smaller version of the gorilla-looking Buu. As soon as it had finished, Gohan powered up to his maximum, ignoring the shaking of the world below him and the white-hot flames of his aura thrashing the air. Buu recovered just enough for an expression of fear to show on his face before Gohan grabbed onto its head just above the eyes and thrust the Z-sword through its gut. Buu gagged and struggled, but Gohan knew he had him stuck. The sheer force of his aura forced Buu to remain solid as he was, trapped on the end of his blade with nowhere to go.

"You're going to fucking answer me now dammit! How the hell are you here? Where is the rest of you?"

The creature struggled again and tried to bite him, so Gohan growled and twisted the sword around, stilling him. He growled out dangerously, fighting back the red in his eyes to try and get answers out of him.

"Don't even think about it! Answer me! I know you can speak, so do it!"

A moment passed and nothing happened. But the silence broke as Buu began chuckling. Those pitch black eyes stared right back at him, giving off a sickening feeling of sadistic glee. Gohan snarled and twisted the head, closing his grip even tighter and feeling a slight sense of nausea as the creatures flesh twisted and conformed to his hand. But Buu finally spoke. Sort of.

"He… You back! Buu knew he be back. Little worm people tricky. Found how to get him back! Buu leave bits here! Make more Buu! You dead soon!"

The tiny voice that came from the diminutive creature barely articulated words enough to be classified as intelligent, but his message was clear. Buu had planned this out as a cautionary measure. He'd purposefully left some of himself on Earth in case something did happen to his proper form.

"Buu knows. Buu knows it all. Can feel this. Knows you… Doesn't matter, you dead!"

That was all Gohan could stomach. He succumbed to his rage and allowed his ki to burn through his hand. The tiny being screamed as he began to burn. Flames erupted on him, quickly eating away at his flesh until all that was left was ashes falling from Gohan's hand and around the glinting blade of the Z-sword. His hands dropped to his sides and he let the emotions hit him like a derailed locomotive. He didn't even want to guess who all had been lost in this most recent attack. His senses were clouded with rage and hurt. He couldn't even tell who was still alive besides his siblings and Videl. But there were the ones he knew; his mother and Chiaotzu. Who else was just killed by Buu?

"I swear, I'm going to enjoy destroying him. If it kills me then so be it, this stops here. I _will_ end this!"

"WHERE IS HE?! I'M GOING TO RIP HIM TO SHREDS!"

"Goten! Please, stop it!"

The yelling from below him drew his attention, and he looked down to find the source of the other two blasts he had seen. Ria was struggling to restrain her twin, who Gohan was shocked to see had transformed into a super-saiyan. She held him from behind, struggling to keep the mini-Goku grounded. His power was impressive, at least on par with his twins, and Gohan had to pause and stare at him as he fought his sister's grip.

"LET ME GO RIA! HE KILLED MOM! HE KILLED HER! HE'S SO DEAD!"

Gohan sheathed the Z-sword and dropped to the ground right in front of him, gritting his teeth and pressing his little brother down to the ground with a firm hand on his chest. Ria staggered backwards and dropped to her knees, tears still streaking down her soot-stained face.

"Hey! Stop it Goten!"

"GRAH! GET OFF! I'M GONNA KILL HIM! LET- ME- GO!"

_**Smack!**_

Gohan retracted his hand and picked the now stunned Goten up by the front of his gi. The boy's blonde hair vanished in a flash and his teal eyes clouded back to their normal black. Gohan buried his own emotions behind a serious mask, knowing that he had to remain in control. If anyone left his sight alone, even if they were a pair of mini super-saiyans, they'd be a target, and would quickly share their mother's fate. They were almost away to safety, he couldn't afford to let anyone go off alone now. He was sure of that. Goten just stared back, tears welling in his eyes as he rubbed at the stinging red mark on his cheek.

"Goten listen! I know what you're feeling, but you can't go off on your own right now! Look at your sister! Look at her!"

Goten shakily looked over his shoulder at Ria, who had completely broken down and was weeping into her hands.

"She needs you right now! I'm going to get Buu, stay with her okay?"

Goten paused, but then glared hard up at his older brother, pointing an accusatory finger at him and catching the older demi off guard.

"You always go and do things whenever you get mad! You don't think we saw it, but we knew! We're not dumb! Why can't I do it if you can?!"

That completely caught him off guard. He'd never heard Goten take that sort of tone with anyone, seeing how he always had the same disposition as his father. For him to suddenly snap at him like that was unheard of, and Gohan had no clue what to do. He stared back hard, knowing his face had just hardened to a scowl by the sudden flash of fear in his younger brother's eyes. He sighed and bowed his head, taking a deep breath to find his resolve.

_He's not wrong, and I would be foolish to believe they wouldn't want to get involved. Hell at this point, I have no right to have a say in the matter. But I have to try and keep them out of harm's way._

He composed himself and looked back at Goten with a softer expression.

"You're right, I do go off and act rashly when I get angry. But you've got to understand Goten, I promised you, the both of you that I would keep you away from the fighting as long as I could on the day you were born. I've got no right to ask you to not want to follow my lead, I'm your older brother after all. But please, _please _just do this for me. It's not safe here for anyone anymore. A lot more people are going to have to die before this ends, and I couldn't stand it if you or Ria were among them. _Please_ just do this for me this time okay?"

Goten's lip quivered, and Gohan half expected him to outright deny him, leaving him with no choice but to incapacitate him. But when Ria grabbed onto Gohan's sleeve and wormed her way in-between them, placing her head on his shoulder and sobbing uncontrollably, Goten let it go. With that, Gohan pulled him in and hugged the both of them, fighting to hold his own frustrated tears back as his adrenaline wore off and the cold reality of his mistakes sank in. They just stayed like that, the three orphans of the Son family holding onto each other in a moment of grief. It wasn't long before some of the others came to find them. Launch appeared with dual pistols in hand, closely trailing Videl and grandpa Ox. All three of them were clearly trying to get a grasp of the situation.

"Gohan! What happened? Is everyone alright?"

Videl approached quickly, dropping to her knees and looking all three of them over with an air of panic. Gohan simply shook his head and gave her a look through his bleary vision that clearly spoke what words could not. Videl retracted her hand and covered her mouth, the shock in her eyes shining through. She only muttered one word, shaking with fear and apprehension.

"Who?"

Gohan swallowed past the lump in his throat and held his siblings closer.

"Chiaotzu, and Mom. And a couple others, I don't know who."

Grandpa Ox's eyes shot wide and he spun on the spot, looking for his daughter. Without warning, he ran off calling her name with Launch in tow, trying to keep him from the gruesome scene. Videl just stared back, with tears brimming in her cerulean orbs now.

"Dammit… DAMMIT! That bastard!"

Gohan shook his head, gritting his teeth and muttering, more to himself than to them but still loud enough to be heard.

"This isn't over. We're getting everyone off this rock, and then were going to get her back… We're going to get _everyone _back! I swear it, if it's the last thing I do."

He held the twins out, who reluctantly let go of him and wiped their tear-stained faces. Gohan gave them a serious look and gained full control of his face.

"You two, now I need you to be strong and help me here. We have to get everyone out of here, so go find them. Trunks is in the research dome, no doubt protecting Bulma, and Dende is already with Hercule. Gather everyone and tell them that we're leaving. We'll load everyone onto one of Bulma's trucks and get them to Central square. I've got a call to make, and then you're all out of here."

"But Gohan-"

"Don't. Please, just go do as I say! I'll be right here, you know how to call for me if anything happens."

They looked at each-other, and Gohan was thankful that they didn't argue further. They nodded their consent and turned tail to head after all the others. Gohan hated having to involve them at all, but this was the price they paid for being who they were. He watched after them before standing. Videl approached him, but he held up a hand to stall her, telling her with a look to wait. She swallowed and nodded nervously. Gohan looked skyward, searching for that link with King Kai.

_King Kai! Hey!_

It only took a moment for the response, and Gohan took a deep breath.

_**Yea kid, what happened down there? I'm still tracking Buu so I didn't see it.**_

_It was Buu, or a part of him anyways. We've taken a couple more casualties, and I'm not sure if he left more pieces of himself here or not. Whatever the case may be, now we don't have a choice. I have to get as many people out of here as I can before this happens again. How much time do we have until your Buu reaches us?_

_**I hate to break it to you kid, but your time is coming to a close. I give it another hour tops before he hits earth, and at the speed he's going, I wouldn't be surprised if he literally just goes through it.**_

_Okay, then it's time to get that message to Kibito and the others. We need to get Vegeta and my dad here now._

_**Right. I'll pass on the word. Good look out there Gohan.**_

_Thanks._

With that, he severed the link, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Videl's sweet scent flooded his senses as she neared him. Even with all the turmoil inside him, it was enough to level his heart-rate and bring him down a bit.

"Gohan…?"

"I fucked up Videl. Buu left pieces of himself behind, and I was totally unprepared for that. I just asked King Kai to bring my father and Vegeta back."

She slid her arms around his torso and hugged him, laying her head against his chest. He hugged her back, gently wrapping his own arms around her and placing his chin on the top of her head, closing his eyes. She spoke, her voice slightly muffled by his armor.

"You couldn't have predicted this, and you know that's not what I was going to ask you... I was… well, I don't even have to ask how you're doing right now, I can feel the strain for myself. I don't even know how, but I can."

He pulled his head away to look down at her. He sighed, realizing that they had really charged in without her knowing hardly anything about what they had done the night before. Of course he understood, but she was going to be put through one hell of a roller-coaster in the mean-time.

"I promise I'll explain it all later, but for now, just know that it's because of last night."

She furrowed her brow in confusion, a slight blush on her cheeks, and absently ran a hand over the fresh scar on her neck that was already starting to heal. Before she could delve further into it, he continued.

"But you're right. I'm a bit of a wreck inside right now, even though I know I have to remain in control of all of this shit. Hell, it's my plan we're following, and I didn't account for any of this happening. I'm not really blaming anyone but Babidi and that piece of shit Buu for it all, but I'm pissed that this was out of my control. He caught us off guard, and my mother died as a result, along with Chiaoutzu and who knows who else. This has to stop, and I know that it's all resting on my shoulders to make it happen."

She gave him a weak smile and squeezed him tighter, and Gohan could feel the tension radiating from her. He knew she didn't like to hear that last bit.

"No pressure then, huh?"

"… Yea."

He leaned in and stole a kiss from her, knowing that were he to fail, it may be their last. They lingered for a moment, savoring it. When they broke, she looked up fearfully at him and bit her lip.

"I'm going to go do what I can to help the others okay? Just… Just come back to me this time."

He didn't have the heart to tell her he might not. He just nodded and watched as she turned and ran into the research building to try and find something to do. Gohan broke his thousand yard stare to look at the mess of ashes spread over the torn-up ground, clenching his fists. His hatred, all of his anger, it was burning just below the surface, and he was having a hard time keeping it in check. Were it not for his siblings and for Videl, he was sure he would have already gone on a rampage. Gritting his teeth, he began working. He ran off in the direction of the nearest person and found the other casualties, or rather the lack of them. Lime was leaning against the wall with her head buried in her hands, obviously crying.

"Lime! Lime, we're leaving, come on!"

She started at his call, and stared up at him for a moment before running to him and throwing herself at him. Gohan caught her and waited somewhat impatiently as she let out her sorrows. Gohan looked around for signs, but only saw a heavy burn mark on the ground and a busted in wall. Lime sobbed on his shoulder, clutching at him with all her might.

"It- It was the- blondes. Erasa and- Sharpener-… Oh god Gohan, they-… They-!..."

He felt the fire burn hotter, adding their names to the list of people whose names he was going to etch into Buu's being with his fury. He stroked her hair, shushing her quietly and trying to calm her with his own façade.

"It'll be alright Lime. We'll get him. Don't you worry, we'll get him back for this."

In her distressed state, it was easy for him to pick her up and cradle her to him while she continued to cry. He took off, continuing to give her words of comfort as he made his way to where he could sense the others gathering. He ran into Mr. and Mrs. Briefs along the way, and convinced them to come with. The dome they had just come from was the lab building, which also housed the habitat for their animals. Icarus came trotting out of the door left wide open along with a stampede of random animals, and began following them without a sound. It wasn't much, but Gohan was glad that he decided to come with. Having a dragon on his side couldn't hurt. They passed into the main courtyard in front of the buildings and found the rest of them gathering around one of Bulma's sky-trucks. They were in an obvious panic, rushing to get everyone accounted for. Gohan hated it.

"Do we have everyone? Bulma, Krillin, double check!"

In spite of their own distress, the two veteran members quickly counted them, making sure everyone was present. The twins were there, gathered with Trunks and talking in hushed whispers with gaunt expressions. Grandpa Ox was sitting with his fists clenched on his knees while Launch patted his massive shoulder and Videl held onto one of his hands. Marron clung to her father's pants with a finger in her mouth, unsure what was happening, and with the addition of the elder Briefs and Lime, that accounted for everyone left there. Bulma looked about urgently, asking the whereabouts of the blondes, Chi Chi, and Chiaotzu, to which Gohan could only shake his head. She screamed out in frustration and slammed her fist into the door of her truck, but nobody paid any attention. They were all in a state of shock.

"Shit… Okay, everyone, onto the truck! Krillin, you're with me, we're flying security just in case. You too Icarus! Let's go, we're out of time!"

He hated having to bark out orders at a time like this. He wanted to give them some time to lament the fallen and recover, but he knew they had none to spare. Less than five minutes later, they were on the move, with Bulma's truck barely skimming the tops of the buildings at full speed. Another five and they were arriving at the capitol building. They disembarked without much trouble, ignoring the stares of the couple hundred people that had elected to stay with the champ. Many of them seemed to be more puzzled that Bulma Briefs was still alive and moving about than they were about the two men floating above them. Krillin nudged him in the side, scratching at the back of his head and looking out over the city.

"Hey Gohan, I don't get it… Where's your old man and Vegeta? You called King Kai right?"

"Yea, that's a good point… They should have been here already. What the hell is taking Kibito?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the enormous magnitude of Goku's and Vegeta's combined ki flashed into existence… nowhere near them. Gohan quirked an eyebrow at Krillin and the two of them looked off into the distance where they could feel the ki emanating from.

"Either that means that Kibito can't aim for shit, or they know something we don't."

Gohan nodded, glancing down at the people below, who were gathering together under the guidance of Roshi, Bulma, Videl and Hercule.

"Yea, I hope it's the former…"

A flash in the distance interrupted their conversation, accompanied by an extraordinary burst of power in the direction of the blast. Gohan snapped his eyes in that direction, knowing that their brief pause in fighting had just come to an abrupt halt. The loud crack of Kibito materializing below drew Krillin's attention to the ground, and Gohan quickly grasped his shoulder, not taking his eyes off the spot where the pink blast was beginning to fade.

"Go. Watch them, make sure they survive. I'm counting on you."

"Right. Give him hell Gohan!"

Gohan felt him drop out of the sky, right into the crowd that was creating an annoying amount of noise. Gohan drew the Z-sword, knowing that he had no time to say any goodbyes, and shot off in the direction of the blast. He glanced behind him to find Icarus following close behind, and in the disappearing distance, the large crowd suddenly vanished from existence. He wanted to stay back and confirm they were all safe, but with the threat of Buu staring him in the face, he ignored his urges.

It took mere seconds to spot the source of the pink blast, and with an animalistic roar Gohan descended upon the startled creature. Charred bodies and shattered buildings littered an area thirty feet wide in front of Buu, but Gohan realized that this was still only a minute fraction of him, even less than the one he had killed at Capsule Corp. He knew not to waste any time with the little monster and drove a hard kick right between the creature's legs, sending it into the sky and unintentionally right in front of the incoming dragon. Buu couldn't even get a peep out before Icarus saw it coming and slammed his wings forward to slow himself, inhaling deeply and expanding his chest rapidly. Then, with a deafening roar, even to someone on the ground, he opened his maw wide and unleashed a blast that completely enveloped the little pink creature. It took mere seconds for the blast to do its work, and soon it was only ashes left to float away on the downdraft created by Icarus' wings.

_That's two… just how much did he leave behind?!_

He cast out with his ki, searching for anything else that might pose a threat. As Icarus landed hard behind him, he sheathed the Z-sword, letting his hand linger on the hilt out of paranoia. Another loud pop rent the air in two and Gohan prepared himself for another attack, spinning about to face the source of the noise. What greeted him wasn't Buu, but his father and a very aggravated looking Vegeta. Within a second of appearing, Vegeta was already tearing his hand away from Goku's, facing the opposite direction and hiding his face.

"Touch me again and die Kakarot!"

"Vegeta, come on it's not that big of a deal!"

"It's disgusting Kakarot! To think, I, the _prince _of all Saiyans, touching a filthy third class-"

"Yea yea, you big baby… Oh hey Gohan!"

Gohan rolled his eyes at the immature nature of their argument, but was glad to see the both of them regardless.

"Hmph! Brat! What the hell _was _that? There's no way that was Buu."

Gohan groaned and scratched at his hair, averting his eyes in embarrassment and shame. He wasn't sure how to go about saying this.

"It was. Buu outsmarted us, and we paid the price. Bad…"

Vegeta rounded on him, grabbing Gohan's wrist and twisting his arm, forcing the demi to look him in the face. Icarus growled loudly from behind him, glaring down the Prince, but held his ground. He wasn't particularly keen on taking on the Saiyan again.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

Gohan swatted his hand away and crossed his arms, looking from Vegeta to Goku, and back again.

"He had the foresight to leave pieces of himself behind to keep feeding it seems. One part of him attacked Capsule Corp this morning."

Vegeta's face darkened at that, glaring up at the Demi with fire in his eyes.

"Bulma? My son?"

"No, they're fine. They were with the group that just left."

"Guys, it doesn't matter right now…"

Both Vegeta and Gohan paused at that, looking towards Goku with blank stares. They looked at each other as if to confirm that Goku had really just said that, which made the other Saiyan shrug nervously and rub at the back of his neck.

"Look, all I mean is that we're going to fix all of this later… right now we need to know where we stand."

Gohan sighed and rolled his neck, conceding his father's point. They had to focus, and right now, it was on when and where Buu was going to be hitting the Earth.

"Okay, well I know we got Dende and some of the others away, but there's still a large amount of people on the planet. I already spoke with King Kai, and he's pretty sure that Buu is going to just go _through_ the planet… Even if he was going to try and slow down before he got here, he'd still go through... That's definitely bad, everyone else will go with it."

Vegeta rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Brat, we already got Dende off-world, and none of the other cretans from this rock are worth saving, so I don't really understand why you care. We might as well just let him hit this mud ball instead of sticking our necks out like this…"

Gohan tilted his head to the side quizzically, not having any clue what he meant.

"Ok, so exactly what plan have I not been brought in on yet?"

Goku chuckled and pointed skyward.

"Well, I figured the best option would be to try and slow Buu down before he can hit the planet, and make him fight us on our terms instead of letting him have the advantage. So, we hit him with enough power before he hits home to slow him down and make him just face plant into the planet instead of going through it!"

Gohan nodded, thinking it over in his mind.

"Well, that I understand, but what if Buu wind's up coming at us from the other side of the planet? Or if we can't slow him down enough to stop him from turning this place inside out?"

Vegeta responded first, uncrossing his arms and glaring at Goku over his shoulder.

"It's gonna be on this idiot to get us out of here in the case of the latter happening. But as for where Buu is going to come from, _you're _how we're going to make him come to us."

Gohan quirked his eyebrow at the prince, honestly confused as to how they were going to make Buu do something like that, with him no less.

"See, Brat, you went and pissed him off didn't you? He knows you're here obviously, and you are the biggest threat that he knows about. So, if you make yourself stick out from everyone else, who do you think he's going to aim for?"

_Well… shit…_

Vegeta smirked, his usual evil one that Bulma despised so much, and pointed at himself.

"Trap."

Then he pointed at Gohan, and didn't even have to say the rest of it before Gohan understood.

"Bait."

At that, Gohan smirked and shrugged, looking between the two elder Saiyans.

"Alright, I'm game. So, how do you propose we do that?"

Vegeta sighed and crossed his arms again, looking skyward impatiently.

"Well, since _my _idea of just letting him use the planet as a brake got shot down, we have to wait for this ass hole to actually get here."

_**Well, you don't have to wait too long guys. You've got about five minutes left before he gets to you. Whatever it is you're going to do, now's the time to do it.**_

All three of them looked skyward, none of them questioning who's voice that was.

"Got it King Kai."

Goku nudged Gohan in the side, catching his attention and meeting his eye.

"Well son, now's a good time to get going. We should be able to feel Buu's ki soon. I doubt he's going to be trying to mask it again."

Gohan took a deep breath and nodded his head, preparing himself mentally for what he needed to do.

"Right… step back you two. Icarus, you may wanna get out of here boy."

The dragon snorted in response and planted its rear on the ground firmly. Gohan chuckled at his stubbornness and shook his head, but knew he didn't have time to argue the point. Even as he began reaching into his massive well of ki, the hairs on the back of his neck began standing on end with the incoming power of Buu. He grunted with effort, ripping the tap of his ki open and unleashing his power a considerable amount without going all out.

The resulting shock wave that emanated from him shattered what windows were left around them, and several buildings fell in on themselves from the force. His ki erupted around him in a bright white and blue aura that circled upwards in a violent tornado. But over it all he could feel Buu now, and it caused his stomach to sink rapidly. He couldn't figure out how far away he was, but with each passing second it got stronger and stronger, until it was blotting out everything else. His, Goku's, and Vegeta's ki seemed so small and insignificant now. He pulled back on his power, his aura dissipating enough that the other three were able to stand there without any trouble. He looked towards Vegeta, who was staring up at the sky in complete awe of what he was feeling, and to his father, who was likewise dumbstruck. Unsurprisingly, Icarus was nowhere to be found, having been blown away by the sheer force of his ki being unleashed. He himself couldn't believe what he was sensing from above. Goku chuckled grimly, earning the other's attention.

"Well, we won't have any trouble finding him I think. Can you guys tell where he is?"

Gohan shook his head, trying to see where Buu was.

_Surely he's close enough to spot? There's no way he's still out of sight…_

Vegeta growled in irritation before shaking his head as well.

"Well, I can. It looks like it worked Gohan, he's headed straight for us. Get ready, I'll tell you where to blast, but we've got to act now!"

Gohan blinked in surprise towards his father, but accepted his statement, having nothing else to go off of. Vegeta too acted without saying anything like he usually would, and Goku settled back into a deep stance.

"Okay… Here we go."

"Kaaameeeee…"

His hands met, palm to palm, at his side. And a blue bead of light formed there.

"Haaaameeeeee…"

It expanded rapidly, forcing his hands away from each other.

"HAAAAAA!"

He thrust his hands forward, unloading a massive blast towards the sky. The roar of the energy ripping the air apart was deafening, but Gohan ignored it, peering into the distance to try and see his target. He gathered up his ki preparing to unleash it as soon as he found his target. A couple tense seconds passed with nothing but the roar of the Kamehameha tearing the air apart before Goku yelled out over the roar.

"NOW! I HIT HIM, SEND YOURS TOO!"

Gohan held his hands over his head, one over the other, and pulled ki rapidly into them. The light of the masenko glowed bright in his eyes, forcing him to partly close them. Off to his side he heard Vegeta call out something he couldn't make out, followed quickly by a flash of bright white light that streaked up to follow Goku's blast. Gohan waited a split second for his blast to reach critical mass before unleashing it, throwing his hands forward.

"MASENKO!"

The yellow blast streaked upwards in a graceful ark to fall in line with the Kamehameha, and it wasn't long before he felt the impact. There was no doubt, they had struck true on Buu, and he was slowing down fast. But even with the three of them combining their strength, he doubted that the planet would escape damage from the impact. Buu was barely out of sight now, clearly entering the atmosphere and forcing the high level clouds to part as the shockwave blasted outward. Gohan glared through the intense light, trying to judge how long they had until Buu landed. The distance was growing shorter, their blasts becoming more and more intense, and then Gohan realized that even as much as they slowed him, his impact was still going to be devastating.

"DAD! WE NEED TO MOVE!"

"NOT YET! JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE!"

Gohan gritted his teeth, watching as Buu streaked in, now a visible speck at the end of their blasts.

"KAKAROT!"

"DAD!"

Goku suddenly released the Kamehameha, reaching over and grabbing Vegeta's arm, cutting off his blast as well and pressing his fingers to his forehead. He turned to Gohan.

"Grab on!"

Gohan quickly followed the order, releasing his flow of ki into the Masenko and grabbing his father's shoulder, and in a flash they were somewhere else. When Gohan managed to get his bearings, he realized that they had appeared in a canyon system not far from where they had fought Vegeta and Nappa so long ago. He felt out for Buu and turned in time to see a huge cloud of debris, smoke and dust get thrown skyward. A few seconds passed before the ground rumbled beneath them, and a shock wave from the impact blasted through them, nearly knocking them off their feet. The sonic boom rattled him down to his bones and made his inner ears to ring with agony, forcing him to cover them as best he could. When Gohan was finally able to steady himself and remove his hands from his ears, his hearing in his left ear didn't return. He looked at his hand to find blood and grimaced.

_Dammit! Busted an ear drum… I'm glad we got out from under him._

He shook himself off and checked on the other two, seeing that they were both as rattled as him, though neither of them seemed to have been damaged from the concussive blast like him. Goku grinned, planting his hands on his hips triumphantly.

"It worked! He's still on the surface!"

_Well, at least the two of them don't seem any worse for wear._

Gohan wiped his blood off of his hand onto his armor and reached up to try and clear out any more blood..

"Yea, and now we have the hard part. You two ready to do this?"

Vegeta grunted and took off without the other two, burning through the sky on a faint white aura. Gohan and Goku called after him before following, catching up quickly. They approached the thick layer of dust and smoke covering west City rapidly, only to find that west city wasn't there anymore. Gohan watched as bit by bit, rubble started piling up in the smoke, until it cleared and all that was left was a massive crater. Gohan tried to guess the size of the crater, but the smoke was unrelenting, only made worse by the intense heat rising up to meet them in a mirage. They drew closer and closer to the intense ki, but were still unable to see through the thick smoke. Gohan peered through it the best he could, listening with his good ear for any sounds and staying alert. It was throwing him off balance a bit, and his stomach was churning uncomfortably.

_Dammit! I should have expected that blast and protected my ears… I already can't see, can't smell, and his power is so massive I can't even feel him out accurately._

As he was watching, a definite spike in the ki caught his attention, followed by a dull pink glow in the smoke ahead of them that grew brighter rapidly. His eyes widened and he immediately cut the flow of his ki, dropping like a stone.

"Down!"

Hearing his call, the other two did likewise, barely missing the blast that was coming to meet them. Gohan touched down and came to a running stop, drawing the Z sword simultaneously and looking hard for his target. It wasn't immediately obvious, until his one good ear picked up a deep rumbling growl that sounded to him like the voice of the devil. The three of them turned towards where the voice was coming from, preparing themselves to act. A shadow appeared in the smoke, and Gohan was forced to look up with how large the incoming figure was. He couldn't help but gape.

"There weren't supposed to be three of you, much less three dead Saiyans. Let me guess, those meddling Kai's were involved in this somehow. I knew that absorbing your pathetic friends' memories would serve me, but I didn't think it would be this irritating knowing you could actually stand in my way. I expect the things I kill to stay dead Gohan, and now you've gone and made me upset."

_What the hell?! That can't be Buu… _

But as Buu stepped through the smoke and finally became revealed, there was no doubt left. Vegeta stiffened on the other side of Goku, who was seemingly calm considering what they were facing. Buu's scowl was directed at Gohan, and those bright crimson eyes bored into him from the black pits in his head. It was enough to make anyone uncomfortable, and Gohan didn't like it.

"Not only that, but you bring me these two worms? Your late father and the Prince, both of whom you killed. What is this, your way of redeeming yourself to them?"

That struck a chord with Gohan, and it got the reaction Buu was looking for. Gohan got mad. Really mad. Without intending to, he pulled out all the stops on his ki, unleashing it in a massive torrent that cleared the smoke around them. His knuckles turned white with how hard he was gripping the Z-sword's hilt, and what hearing he had left was drowned out with a sharp ring. He roared and shot forward, completely disregarding the other two. He ducked under Buu's arm as he swung it forward, surprising the behemoth, and dragged the Z-sword through his midsection, relishing the feeling of the blade catching and ripping through him. He carried through the swing, landing on the other side and spinning himself about to go in for another attack, but only met a massive pink fist. Acting instinctively, he leapt out of the way, rising into the air and firing a blast with one free hand right at where Buu's head would be.

"Nice try!"

He heard the voice from right behind him and looked over his shoulder, startled. Buu's gleaming red eye was right next to his, and tracing down the line of his neck he realized that the creature was extending and distorting his body like a giant rubbery snake to meet him in the air. He saw Buu's mouth open wide, and a set of vicious looking teeth were close to sinking into his exposed side. Again on reaction alone, Gohan swung the blade around so that Buu only managed to hit his face against the flat of the blade, making it ring loudly. Continuing the motion, he swung the sword up and around, bringing the edge down on top of Buu's head. It clove through the pink squishy material like a hot knife through butter, and he dragged it down with gravity's help.

He must have fallen a solid twenty feet before the blade finally came free of the pink flesh and he fell the rest of the way to the ground. He landed on his feet and jumped backwards just as the rest of Buu caught up, a giant pink foot slamming into the ground where he had been a moment before. He stood and held the sword at the ready, watching as Buu's body put itself back together, leaving no trace that Gohan had hit him at all. Undeterred, and with his anger still boiling in his blood, Gohan let loose a roar and leapt into action again. He jumped, fully expecting Buu to swing at him as he approached, and was surprised when no such action came. He impacted Buu in the upper chest as his head was melding back together, knocking the giant backwards. He rode him down to the ground, flipping the sword around and driving it to the hilt in Buu's throat. He felt the sword hit solid Earth and jumped again, putting some distance between Buu and himself, leaving the sword where it sat pinning Buu.

Everything Gohan was, all that had happened, and everything he'd suffered through poured out through him now. In that moment there was nothing he cared about except for destroying this _thing _that dared call upon his memories of the two men he was fighting with. How dare he take those memories, how dare he tarnish them with his being. He was unfit to carry them! His body acted on its own with his mind numbed by anger, and he found himself doing something he hadn't in a long time.

"KameeeeHameeeeeHAAAAAAAAA!"

Before he realized it, the blast had left his hands and streaked towards the ground, blotting out the natural light in the area and replacing it with the bright blue of the Kamehameha. The roar of a wounded beast emanated from Buu as the blast covered him, flashing white before exploding. Gohan shielded himself from the debris that flew past him and waited for the chaos to pass.

"You think that was enough to kill me? If that's the best you can manage Gohan, then you're not even worth my time."

Gohan peered from around his arms, and Buu was standing there scowling at him again. His skin was charred and burned, and flaking off of him in the wind like charred paper. But underneath that was just more pink flesh that was completely undamaged. But now, Buu was holding the Z-sword.

_Shit…_

Buu held up the blade, making it look little more than a knife with his massive size, looking at it with a scrutinizing eye.

"What is this sword? It is much tougher than anything from this planet… Hm, you think that your little Excalibur is enough don't you? Well, it's not going to do you any good _here_ is it?"

Buu took his turn to attack, jumping up to meet Gohan in the air, who simply dropped out of the sky before the behemoth could connect with a wide swing that clearly threw him off balance. Buu growled and went after him again, baring his teeth and swinging the sword overhead. Gohan ducked down and sidestepped, feeling the ground shake as the sword dug into it. He countered with an open palmed strike to where Buu's stomach would have been and unleashed a blast at the same time. The blast detonated and Buu went flying backwards, landing heavily on his back with the Z-sword flailing about. Gohan settled himself back into a deep stance and waited, sizing up his enemy.

_He's slow. Powerful, but slow. I can keep dodging all I want, but he just keeps absorbing my hits. I've got to get the Z-Sword back too. One good hit from that and I'll be missing a chunk._

Buu squirmed like a fish a few times before getting to his feet, seething. Steam was pouring out of the holes in his shoulders and head, sending out that same smell of putrid meat that he'd smelled on his insides.

"Would you hold still?!"

Gohan grunted in irritation, waiting for Buu to move. The giant sprinted at him, kicking up dust behind him and swinging the blade around. Gohan ducked and dodged, throwing several blasts as he was forced to retreat under Buu's onslaught. Each impacted and burned into the giant's skin, only to be replaced by new flesh as the old burned away. Gohan was frantically trying to figure out what he should do, knowing that at full strength, he wouldn't be able to keep up this speed for too long. An idea struck him, and he continued dodging to find a way to do it.

_Smaller pieces of him aren't as tough as the whole big chunk, or else I wouldn't have been able to destroy those smaller Buu's so easy. As he is now, I don't think I can kill him quick enough. I'll have to whittle him down bit by bit, destroying as I go. Which means, I'll be needing that back._

He eyed the blade of the Z-sword, watching it flash by him repeatedly, waiting for a moment to strike. Buu missed a backhanded swing, clipping a few hairs off the top of Gohan's head, and Gohan jumped forward to capitalize on it. He gripped the pommel of the sword, blasting Buu in the face and twisting to try and break the sword free. But Buu held firm and twisted his own arm, making it seem like heated rubber. The pommel slipped out of Gohan's hand and before he knew it, Buu was countering his counter. The tip of the sword swung around until it was pointed directly at him, and he felt a pang of panic that he was off balance. Buu thrust forward quickly, and Gohan leaned to get out of the way.

But he wasn't so successful. A piercing pain erupted in his side where the sword punched through his armor. He felt the sword go clean through his flesh and out the back, and his left arm and leg clenched involuntarily. He roared in pain and grabbed the cross guard on the sword to prevent Buu from doing more damage by twisting or sawing the blade. Each movement hurt like hell, but he knew just by the feel of where the blade was that he hadn't been hit anywhere serious. Reacting quickly, Gohan held the blade still and formed a blast in his opposite hand, slamming it down on Buu's wrist. The ki burned part-way into the flesh then exploded. The blast tore the flesh apart, separating the hand from the rest of the body.

Growling, Gohan formed another blast and held it to the wriggling chunk of buu that was his hand, watching it burn away rapidly under the intense heat until all that remained was a charred hilt and guard. He switched his gaze back to Buu, hesitating to pull the sword out until he was sure he had enough time. To his surprise, Buu just stood there scowling at him. Taking the apparent pause in combat, he grasped the blade and shoved it out forward, wincing at the feel of his own blood on his hands as it came free. He breathed a sigh of relief as it left him, and he was glad to see it wasn't nearly as bad as it felt, only hitting the muscles above his hip, barely catching any flesh at all.

_Still hurts like hell._

He spun the blade around, grasping the hilt with one hand and burning the wound closed with the other, all the time never taking his eyes off of the seemingly inert Buu. He was starting to get really worried now. Why would he just stand there and watch him recover instead of taking advantage of his bad position? It didn't make any sense.

"Well this is a surprise Gohan. Here I thought that having all this power at my disposal meant you would be easy prey yet again… And to think your father didn't even help you. You Saiyans are a puzzling bunch."

Gohan blinked a couple times in surprise, realizing that Buu had spoken true. Where was his father? Where was Vegeta? He chanced a look around them, seeing how the dust and smoke were beginning to settle, but didn't see them immediately. Buu groaned and rolled his head backwards and around so that he was looking at Gohan sideways, making the demi's stomach turn in disgust.

"No matter, I'll just kill you one at a time I guess. But I was looking forward to fighting all three of you at once."

"HOW ABOUT TWO?"

That was a voice that Gohan didn't recognize. It sounded like his father, but it was far harsher. It was powerful, and accompanied an enormous power that Gohan didn't immediately register. In fact, he was certain it had been there for a while now, and just hadn't noticed it before with his own power and Buu's crowding his senses. But now that he saw it, it was completely insane. He snapped his head in the direction the voice came from and almost missed the streak that was the newcomer as it plowed into Buu from the side, sending the giant reeling off into the distance, tumbling along the ground with a puff of dust at each impact. Gohan had to do a double-take at the person standing in front of him, completely baffled as to what he was seeing.

The man was slightly shorter than his father, bearing a head of spiky black hair that partly fell in front of his eyes. He was clothed in a similar gi to his father's, but it was dark blue with an orange under-shirt, and for some reason he was wearing white gloves and boots, much like the Vegetas. And as he looked at the newcomer staring down Buu in the distance, he could pick out features on his face that identified him as Goku and Vegeta.

_Is that… _that's _fusion?!... well I guess that explains what he was doing._

"You okay Gohan? Eh, nevermind, you look fine. Thanks for holding him up for me, I'll take it from here."

Gohan hesitated, not entirely sure what to say. The guys voice sounded so similar to his dads, but definitely didn't carry the same tone. He figured that with the fusion of bodies, their personalities must have combined as well. On one hand he seemed concerned for Gohan, on the other… well, he was letting his arrogant prince flag fly. The Saiyan smirked and looked directly at Gohan, casually slapping a pink blast into the air that exploded harmlessly. Gohan readied himself, pointing the sword at Buu, who was on his feet and leaking steam yet again.

"YOU! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?! WHERE ARE THE OTHER TWO VERMIN?!"

The newcomer crossed his arms and stood there, sneering at Buu.

"Me? Oh, don't worry you're not missing out, now those two vermin are one big vermin kay? After all, it's only fair since you did it first."

Gohan shook his head in disbelief. Since when were either of them so sassy? Vegeta was gruff and arrogant, and maybe his dad was a bit on the goofy side, even with his apparent change since his death, but he was behaving out of character for the both of them. Buu growled and grabbed at the sides of his face, pulling and stretching it out until it began to strain and groan.

The new guy shrugged, rolling his eyes skyward with an innocent smile on his face.

"Ahh don't be like that! Now you just have to remember one name instead of two! You can call me Gogeta."

Buu let go of his face, which snapped back to normal and he screamed. Steam poured out from the holes in his head with a loud whistle that overpowered the scream. Gohan nervously looked at Gogeta, praying that neither of them would remember what they did combined, mostly for Vegeta's sake.

***NEW NAMEK***

Light and sound suddenly rushed back to Videl as she appeared on a somewhat weird setting. Her feet touched the ground and she tried to steady herself, only to have an intense wave of nausea slam into her. She attempted to hold it in but failed, dropping to her knees and retching a couple times. Judging by the sounds of people around her, she wasn't the only one who had been so affected. She averted her eyes from the sick she had just left on the ground and attempted to stand. Wiping her lips on the back of her sleeve, she took a look at her surroundings.

It was strange to say the least, considering that they had just been spat out into a world with green skies and blue grass, and when she looked further she realized they were on the edge of a green lake. But for the strange colors though, this wasn't much different than Earth. The air felt just as good, it wasn't too hot or cold. Even the smell on the air was like that of a spring meadow. And above all that, there was no destruction, no fighting, and no Buu.

Yet she felt a hollow in her gut that had nothing to do with the fact that she had just christened the ground here with her lunch. She felt that a part of her was absent, and she knew it had to do with Gohan. Worried wasn't the way she would have described it, it was like he was just gone again.

_No time to be moping around. He's still there, and he's fighting. Find out what you can do to help around here._

She cast her eyes around the group, looking for Krillin or her father since she had gotten separated trying to round up the last few people. She spotted Kibito in the distance, towering over the humans with a scowl on his face, made eerily lit by the halo above his head. She weaved through the crowd of confused people and crying children before bumping into Krillin. The short fighter stood up straight, holding his crying daughter and breathing a sigh of relief.

"Man, am I glad to be out of there… I hate to say it, but I'm definitely getting to old for this sort of thing."

Videl held her tongue on the matter, her worries about Gohan gnawing at her insides. She shook it from her head, reaching out to pat Marron's head comfortingly.

"Do you see my father or the others?"

Krillin paused and looked around them before settling his eyes on Kibito and pointing that direction.

"Looks like they're over there with the big guy. Better join back up with them so we can figure out our next move."

And so they did. The three of them made their way through the bustling crowd, and before she knew it she was being picked up and hugged roughly by her father.

"Videl! We made it, just look at this place! Can you believe it? We're on another planet! It's almost like Earth, too!"

His enthusiasm was practically boiling over, and she couldn't help but chuckle at him. But it was hollow, and sounded weird to her. Realizing it, he put her down and held her by the shoulders, looking at her with concern.

"Sweet pea, what's wrong? You're not hurt are you?"

Videl shook her head and nervously rubbed at the bite mark on her neck in an attempt to hide it. Her action didn't go unnoticed by Bulma however, who began making her way towards the two Satans.

"No dad, I'm fine, trust me. I'm just worried because we left Gohan back there."

Mr. Satan furrowed his brown in confusion, tilting his head to the side like a confused puppy.

"Now why would you do that? From what I hear that kid's tough enough to handle it."

Videl rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Like I said, don't worry about me dad. I'm fine."

"Uhh, Videl, a moment please?"

The sound of Bulma's voice startled both the Satans, and they turned towards her. She was looking intently at Videl with an almost too-sweet smile on her face. Videl gave her a confused look and then nodded, unsure what the heiress wanted. Bulma pointed over her shoulder to a slightly secluded spot away from people, making her intent well known. Videl nodded and quickly followed her, leaving her father to watch her, as confused as ever. Once they were away from everyone, Bulma stopped her and leaned in to peer at her neck, a slight flush coloring her cheeks. Videl was too startled by her actions to do anything about it.

"You did!"

Videl blushed hard and took a step back, covering the spot nervously.

"Did w-what?..."

Bulma grinned devilishly and quirked her eyebrows at the younger woman, crossing her arms triumphantly.

"You know! You and Gohan!"

"Wha-… wh-… Huh?!"

Bulma scoffed and rolled her eyes, pulling the collar of her shirt to the side to reveal an old scar on her own neck that resembled the one decorating Videls.

"Trust me, from woman to woman, I can tell. Vegeta wasn't any different in that regard. The only question I have is… Well, _when?_ I mean, there wasn't really all that much time."

Videl nervously wrung her hands, uncomfortable with the subject being discussed, and with the fact that Bulma knew already.

"J-just last night… I went to see him, and it just happened… God this is embarrassing…"

Bulma threw an arm around her shoulder, leaning into her and tapping her on the nose with her finger.

"Ah don't be nervous about it, I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. Hell, I'm impressed you resisted as long as you did! Well, I'll keep it between us two girls for now, but I'm willing to bet you've got a lot of questions huh?"

Videl conceded that point in her head, she did have a lot of questions. For one, what was with the bite in the first place? She wondered if ChiChi had one too, considering Goku was a Saiyan. But she shook her head, making the air around them serious again.

"Look Bulma, can we drop this for now? I'm sure there's something around here that I can do, I can't just sit still right now. Not with my knowing that he's back home fighting…"

They were interrupted by the heavy footsteps of Kibito, who had managed to get right behind them without their noticing.

"Miss Videl, I must ask that you come with me."

The two women broke apart and spun around to look up at Kibito's stern expression.

"What? What for?"

Kibito clasped his hands behind his back and stared down at her.

"There's more yet for you to do. The situation back on Earth is still extremely delicate, and considering your position in regards to Gohan, you're the best person to handle it."

"Now hang on a second Kibito-"

Bulma's retort was drowned out as something from what seemed like ages ago pried into her mind. Because of her position in regards to Gohan?

_**The only thing that a Saiyan will stop everything for, is his mate. To him, nothing could be more important than the one who bears the mark. **_**His **_**mark.**_

That voice echoed in her head, and the words he spoke suddenly started making some sense.

_**He will lose control, and his primal self will take over. When this happens, the fate of the universe will hang in the balance. Should he succumb to his natural tendencies, all will fall. You are the key.**_

_So, somehow, I am the key? Primal tendencies? There's a lot that that could mean, so what am I supposed to do?_

She watched Bulma try to argue her point about why Videl didn't have to do anything and was perfectly fine just staying here out of the hands of the kais.

_Whatever it is, Kibito knows about it. Or at least knows someone who does. So…_

Videl held a hand up to stall bulma, still lost in thought. Both Kibito and the Capsule Corp heiress looked at her, one with blank apathy and the other with concern. Videl sighed and met Kibito's eyes.

"Yea, I think I know what you're talking about Kibito. Alright, where are we going?"

"Videl-!"

"Don't worry about it Bulma, I was warned about this already… Sorta."

"What do you mean, 'sorta'?"

Videl shook her head and frowned, sighing heavily.

"It'll take too long to explain Bulma. I'll be fine, ok? Just tell my dad anything to keep him quiet? I don't want him worrying too bad."

Bulma looked like she was about to retort, but Kibito cut her off by placing a hand on Videl's shoulder. The surprisingly heavy weight of it caused Videl to look down at it, startled. But it was short lived, as the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, just like before.

_Oh crap! Not again!_

And then, once more, she was swallowed into a void, teleported by a god to some place she didn't know.

**A/N: Aaaaand we're going to just pause it right there for now. Hopefully this wasn't too disappointing a way for me to return from my hiatus. Thanks everyone for being understanding and supportive, even when i'm being unreliable as hell. I'll do my best to not let you down. Fortunately, when it comes to action scenes, the words just pour out of me like a really bad night of drinking and taco bell... So, considering the next couple chapters are going to cover the battle for Earth, and some surprising plot twists (at least for me, I didn't even have the idea until watching the new DBZ movie. Don't worry, Frieza isn't going to make an appearance or anything, you'll see.), I should be able to get it up pretty quick. After all, I've got nothing but time the next couple days. So for now, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and i'll be seeing you all again real soon. As always, have a fantastic day!**


	38. An Unexpected Savior

**So for all of my readers who may have come out of the last chapter feeling confused, or thinking that I'm a bit of an idiot: Well, you might be right! Heh, I'm not without my faults, and I don't know every detail for the series and all the back-stories. However, for the purpose of this fic, I made a deliberate change to one of the major characters. For those who haven't caught on, I mean Gogeta/Vegeto. See, here's the thing about the fusions in DBZ that bothered me, and mind you, it is a very small detail that can be overlooked. The normal fusion dance is a combination of the two beings' personalities, physical traits, memories, etc... So why the hell did the resulting person wear baggy white M.C. Hammer diaper pants, a sash, and a poofy, padded vest that had _nothing_ to do with either of the original persons? I'm sorry to anyone who likes the look, but just like the Saiyaman costume, I thought it was a dumb look. So, this being a fanfiction and all, I decided to just... Get rid of that. Instead I went with the Vegeto look on Gogeta, because 1, I like it a lot more, and 2, because given what the two Saiyans were wearing at the time, it made sense. Think of it what you will. Second thing I wanted to mention because I failed miserably to give an accurate description of it beforehand: The Gohan in the last couple chapters is what a lot of people refer to as "mystic" or "ultimate" Gohan. He's had his potential unlocked, and so he doesn't use Super Saiyan at all here. More notes at the end if you're still confused.**

**Well, now that that rant/explanation is out of the way, we can move on to the chapter! I'm rather proud of this one, as I read through it several times, and managed to keep myself interested each time! Normally with my other chapters, after the fifth or sixth time reading through it to make corrections, I grow rather tired of it. Call it a curse of writing, but I find that I do that with literally everything I write, which leads me to believe it's necessary to have multiple other people help you out by simply proofreading it for you. Point is, I'm really excited to get this one up! Enough of me running my suck, on to the chapter! R&amp;R and enjoy folks!**

**CHAPTER 38: AN UNEXPECTED SAVIOR**

** *KING KAI'S PLANET***

Videl felt herself get spat out of whatever dimension Kibito used to teleport and immediately collapsed onto the ground. Though her nausea was present again, this time it was the intense weight she felt bearing down on her instead. She gasped a couple times, struggling to make her suddenly strained diaphragm operate properly.

_What the hell?!_

"Videl! Crap, the gravity!"

_That voice… I know that voice! That's Yamcha isn't it?_

"Well there isn't anything _I _can do about it! It's been that way for years you know! She'll get used to it…"

"King Kai, she's not like the other ones who have made it here before!"

There was a disgruntled groan from the second voice that she now identified as King Kai, and she was gingerly picked up. She strained to pick her head up, still struggling to get a full breath of air, and found herself looking at Yamcha. All things considered, he was looking pretty well, with only the Halo over his head giving away any hint that he was dead.

"Come on, she's not gonna be able to get used to ten times Earth's gravity in such a short amount of time!"

_Ten times?! Kami, that's ridiculous!_

"Well, it's not my problem! You people keep bringing people here when they haven't made the trip along snake way! She's not even dead for crying out loud! It's not my fault!"

"Gah, your bickering is annoying. Sorry North Kai, but a temporary fix is in order here."

"Wha-… Kibito, what- NO NO NO NO NO NO!"

A few seconds later and an invisible weight lifted completely off her body, and she gasped in a lung-full of air. Yamcha sighed a breath of relief and propped her up on her own two feet. She caught her breath and finally took a look about her surroundings. What greeted her eyes caught her completely off guard. There wasn't just Yamcha, but most of the dead Z-warriors. Tien, Piccolo, Yamcha, and even the android twins. She blinked a few times in surprise and struggled to find words as a dumpy little blue man with extremely long antennae and sunglasses pounded on Kibito's chest in the background. Yamcha scratched at the back of his head, shrugging apologetically.

"Well, I didn't think we'd be seeing you again so soon kiddo, but hey, we live a bit of a privileged life. Welcome to King Kai's planet, for what it's worth anyways."

"HEY! IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLANET YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE-"

King Kai's interruption was cut short by Kibito simply grabbing his head and spinning him about to look at him again. Videl ignored them and went forward to greet the others, her excitement bubbling over.

"You guys, you have no clue how good it is to see you again! I just wish it were under better circumstances. And a slightly less… strange… place… Damn this planet is tiny."

Tien shook her hand and shrugged.

"Eh, it's a little weird alright, but it's not our first time, the three of us. The twins however haven't been here before now. Actually, I was fairly surprised that they came here at all, being androids and all."

17 huffed indignantly while 18 crossed her arms and sat beneath the shade of the little dome house they were gathered by.

"You know, it's really starting to get annoying being called that. We're _cyborgs_. Humans with machine parts added. It's not our fault that our memories got wiped in the process, making us seem more machine than human."

"Don't get your panties in a bunch man, I was just saying it surprised me a bit is all."

Videl chuckled. Man she had missed the banter between all these guys. But she was still puzzled as to the goings on, and why she there, a living person among the dead. She turned to Piccolo, who always seemed to have a good handle on things.

"So, you know why I was brought here? We just managed to evacuate to New Namek, and Kibito said I was needed somewhere."

The Namekian grunted in irritation, looking towards Kibito as he spoke in undertones to King Kai.

"We were hoping you'd know. We just came here to watch, since King Kai can see everything that's happening down there. But he's been so wrapped up in what's going on and talking with someone else that we haven't really gotten anything out of him."

She sighed heavily, realizing that she wasn't going to get anything useful from them.

"All I know is that apparently Goku's father was the one who arranged for you to be here, according to King Kai."

Or maybe that assessment was too hasty. She gave him a quizzical look, trying to understand why Gohan's grandfather would care. Kibito and King Kai made their return, announcing it by way of King Kai clearing his throat.

"So! You're miss Videl, daughter of the world champion and a certain little half-Saiyan's girlfriend! Sorry about my rudeness earlier my dear, it's not normal for me to get guests here with the exception of this bunch, who keep getting themselves into trouble!"

He laughed nervously, and only managed to confuse and embarrass the girl. Videl scratched her cheek, quirking an eyebrow at the short man and looking between the two Kais.

"But… I don't understand…"

Kibito responded first, crossing his arms and looking at the ground thoughtfully. king Kai appeared to be highly amused with something as Kibito rubbed his chin in deep thought.

"Bardock was oddly specific in the matter. He stated that you needed to be with King Kai during the battle happening on Earth, both to spectate and to be able to talk to the people down there. He said it was of great importance that you be involved. Considering he had premonitions of his planet's destruction and of Goku's triumph over Frieza years before it happened, we decided it would be best to hear him out."

Videl let it sink in for a moment, and then suddenly it clicked. The voice in her head when she was unconscious and beating on death's door had to have been Bardock, who she knew was Gohan's grandfather! Or at least that made the most sense, seeing as he was able to see the future apparently. Who else would be able to tell her something so important about her and Gohan, and try to warn her about it in advance? And if Bardock was with King Kai at the time of the tournament, then that would give him a means to speak to her while she was out. She wished she had a means to actually speak to the man face to face, she wanted to have one to put to the voice. Her realization must have shown in her expression, because King Kai peered closer at her, his antennae getting uncomfortably close to her face.

"So, you know what he meant?"

Videl blew one of the antennae away before answering, causing King Kai to blush and take a step back.

"Maybe. It's kinda difficult to say, but I figured you'd know as much as I do King Kai. I mean, you're the one Bardock used to talk to me aren't you? You were speaking to us down on Earth from here, right?"

King kai paused, nervously glancing at Kibito, who gave the shorter Kai a menacing glare. Videl had the sneaking suspicion that King Kai had witheld the information from Kibito, and possibly knew exactly what it was she was supposed to do. Kibito hunched his shoulders in anger and angrily shook his fist at the smaller man.

"You mean to tell me that you've known this whole time what she was supposed to do! AND YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING?! WE COULD HAVE WARNED THEM A LONG TIME AGO AND MADE PREPARATIONS!"

King kai removed his glasses to wipe the spittle from the lenses and grunted in irritation. He replaced the shades and calmly placed his hands behind his back.

"Actually, Bardock _also_ asked me to not talk to Videl or Gohan about it at all, because he said, and I quote - 'Nature needs to take its course before what I told her will even matter.' And besides, I like watching you 'greater' kai's get flustered. Don't forget, I am aware of what you guys did to my favorite student."

That shut Kibito up quick, and a bead of sweat dropped down his face. He looked ashamed of something, though Videl wasn't really sure of what. She was still lost in all of this stuff. Gods and demons and different realms were a lot for her to take in with such short notice. King Kai turned back towards her, putting a big smile on his face again.

"So, Videl, do you understand what Bardock meant by what he said to you? I interpreted it several different ways, but you, being you, may know something that I don't. Even with as much knowledge as I have, that man is one cryptic bastard. It's a wonder that Goku didn't inherit _that _trait."

"Well… He said I was supposed to try and help Gohan somehow… With what, how, and why, I'm not really too sure myself."

"Hmmm no real surprises there… Okay fine, tell you what; you're already here, so we might as well just watch and see if something comes to you. Just place your hand on my shoulder, I'll take care of the rest okay?"

She hesitated a moment, looking between the Kai and the other Z-fighters before deciding she had nothing to lose.

** *MEANWHILE – EARTH***

"Gogeta? _Gogeta?! _What is this, some sort of sick joke?!"

Gohan and Gogeta stood side by side, staring down the massive enraged creature that was Buu, screaming at them and stomping around angrily. Still slightly confused as to what exactly was going on, he kept his eyes on the raging creature and quietly asked his questions.

"Okay, Gogeta is it? Just so I understand, you're both my father and Vegeta, right?"

Gogeta likewise kept his eyes on Buu, waiting for any indication that their brief pause in combat was up.

"Nope. I'm neither Goku nor Vegeta, though I carry both of their memories and knowledge."

"Okay, and second thing, how?"

"A dance that the Supreme Kai taught them. Trust me, you don't want to know the details, it's embarrassing enough that they were forced to resort to it at all. It gives me a combined power that exceeds even yours, but it only lasts half an hour."

Gohan quirked an eyebrow at that, looking at him quizzically out the corner of his eye.

"Okay, so it's got a time limit… Any bright ideas?"

"Not particularly. I'm just glad my taunting got us _this _much time… He's pretty easy to mess with."

"Hm... Well I do. I noticed earlier that the smaller Buu's can actually be destroyed instead of just cooked. So if we could get him to split up into smaller pieces, then we could whittle him down. Seems like he's attached to this bigger version though. Fortunately for us, I've got the perfect slicing tool to do the job."

"Slash and burn huh? Alright, let's get going."

They turned their attention to the still raging monster, with Gohan in the front.

"-nd all I wanted was to just destroy the galaxy and wipe out life as we know it! It's not much!"

Gohan interrupted Buu's tirade with a loud shout and powered up instantly to his maximum. To his side he felt Gogeta go super, nearly flooring him with the raw amount of ki emanating from him. Buu froze in place and slowly turned his eyes on them, the bright crimson burning into them. A low rumble started in the beast's chest that turned into a guttural roar. Spittle flew from his maw and Gohan prepared himself. Buu launched himself at them, barely more than a beast on a rampage. Gohan confidently stood his ground while Gogeta threw himself up and out of the way. When he was close enough, Gohan dodged to the side, slashing out and down with the Z-sword, aiming for Buu's outstretched hand.

He slightly misjudged how fast Buu was going. The blade only took the thumb with it, and the appendage spun up and away. Gohan didn't wait for Buu to react and jumped further out of the way as the beast rounded on him. Gohan barely noticed as the thumb flying through the air was incinerated with a quick burst of ki from Gogeta, because Buu was bearing down on him again. This time though, Gohan changed his tactics. He stood his ground and launched an immediate counter-attack. His blade flashed in a flurry of strikes before Buu could do anything to stop him. His limbs came free of the rest of the body, large chunks fell off of him, his head rolled off his shoulders, and Gohan leapt back out of the way again. He wasted no time, finding the nearest chunk and stomping on it roughly before it could morph into something else, burning it with a sustained ki blast until the majority of it wriggled out from under him to rejoin the main body, leaving only ashes and a frustrated Gohan behind.

He turned on the spot, watching Gogeta burn away at piece after piece, reducing as much as he could to ashes before the overwhelming majority of them began to pool together. Gohan scowled, remembering the first time he had seen buu and the result of their encounter. It was reminiscent of what he was witnessing now. A giant blob of the stuff swirling about and morphing together, no discernable shape to be had. He clutched the Z-sword harder, breathing heavily. Gogeta landed next to him, likewise out of breath. The two of them shared a look, nodding in unison.

_This is going to be awhile…_

This continued on at a rapid speed until they'd lost track of how many times they'd done it. Gohan would rush and attack with the sword, separating as many pieces as he could and isolating them, then Gogeta would follow it up with ki attacks. Together like that, they burned a lot of Buu to nothing but vapor and ash. Buu didn't even have the speed to keep up with them and counter-attack. The only problem was that no matter how much they destroyed, there was just that much more to go. Gohan began doubting whether or not they would be able to take him out using this battle of attrition. But with each set of attacks, Buu grew noticeably more irate. Gohan knew there was no doubt that Buu was going to snap soon, and he wasn't sure if that was something he was hoping for. The one thing they had going for them was that Buu couldn't hit back, their speed was just too great.

It didn't last long. A lul in the combat gave Buu the time he needed. He reformed, now a significant amount smaller than he had been a few minutes before, and bolted in the opposite direction of the two fighters. Gohan recoiled in surprise before giving chase.

_What the hell is he doing?_

But Buu managed to keep well ahead of the both of them. While he wasn't very agile, going in a straight line like this was a completely different story. They quickly left the crater that used to be west city, heading in the direction of the coast to the north-west, and Satan City. Gohan wiped the sweat from his eyes and kept on him, glancing back to be sure Gogeta was still with him. Both fighters followed him at top speed, trying to keep up. Suddenly, Buu made a bee-line for the City, dodging between the skyscrapers. The glass on either side shattered and fell behind him as he passed, threatening to slice the Saiyans to shreds. But they simply flared their respective auras, and the glass was blown away to nothing as soon as it made contact.

Yet that wasn't what had Gohan's attention. Ahead of him, spanning the distance between two of the larger down-town buildings, was what appeared to be a giant pink spider web. It only took a second for him to realize what it was.

"Hey! That's more of Buu there! I'm guessing he's finished playing around. There's got to be more Buu's about, see if you can track them down and kill them before they rejoin the main party!"

Gogeta grunted in response and peeled off, heading straight up to get a better vantage point. Gohan quickly prepared a blast with his off hand and shot it after Buu, trying to prevent him from contacting yet another piece of himself. The blast passed just over his head and hit the building beyond. It detonated with a thundering boom and debris shot out directly in the line of Buu's path. Undeterred, Buu just plowed through it, catching the pink web. Within seconds, all of the material warped together and shot into the main body of Buu, and Gohan felt the Ki coming from him increase even further.

_Shit! He's just been biding his time, waiting for the rest of his body to get into position!_

He doubled down, forcing himself to move faster. The wind passing over him grew hot with the speed at which he was moving, but it still wasn't enough. Buu managed to break out of the city and over Satan City bay. The creature flew low over the water, sending up a wave of water on each side, and Gohan barely saw even more chunks of Buu come splashing out of the water to meet him like pink, shapeless dolphins.

He felt, more than he heard, an explosion from the direction he could feel Gogeta in. Glancing that way, he saw the Saiyan fusion rushing out to meet them, yelling something he couldn't understand. He was coming from a pillar of smoke that came billowing out of a water return plant in the bay. Gohan recognized it as the place where the water was treated before being dumped back into the ocean. It was then that he realized that Buu was using the planets water to move about so sneakily. Why else would Gogeta have had a reason for blasting that facility apart unless he'd spotted Buu in it. His main form was growing further and further in power as pieces continued to attach themselves, and Gohan started to panic.

_ Just how much did he leave here?! Dammit!_

But then it stopped. Buu halted over the water, sending out a shockwave that forced the water away in a huge swell on the ocean. Gohan couldn't match his maneuver and overshot him. As he passed, Buu watched him with a sadistic grin on his face, those bright red irises burning into his teal ones. When he did manage to halt his movements, Buu was starting to glow. His heavy growl shifted to a laugh that resonated over the empty air, growing in volume until it was a wild howl. Buu screamed and screamed, his body glowing brighter and brighter until Gohan had to shield his eyes from it. For a moment, he worried that Buu was about to detonate himself.

_But why?! There's no point! There'd be nothing left of him afterwards! But wait, this doesn't feel like a self-destruction. His ki has stopped rising, it's just holding steady now. _

He peered through his fingers as the intense light began to fade. The sight that slowly came into view made him do a double take. Buu was still there, but he'd changed drastically. No longer was he an enormous creature with bubble gum looking skin and grotesque features. He was smaller, no taller than his mother or Lime in stature now. His flesh was a dull, almost translucent pink color, and his figure very closely resembled that of a human or Saiyan in peak condition. His arms and torso rippled with muscles, and it seemed that his body now had structure to it, instead of lumps of meat being stuffed in a rubber tube. More than that, his head held shape now, with a distinct set of facial features. Features that were glaring at him with a murderous glint in his crimson eyes.

Gogeta rushed the creature from behind, having not slowed himself much earlier, and was rewarded with Buu dodging him and spanking the grown Saiyan in passing. Gogeta was flung forward even faster, halting himself mid-air next to Gohan and rubbing at the sore part of his rump while Buu laughed uproariously. Gohan was now confused as ever, both by the amazing speed increase and that laugh. The laugh sounded like a normal voice, with no more raspiness, no overpowering bass, and no weird feel in it. In fact, it even sounded soft, almost like a young mans. He wiped the combination of saltwater and sweat out of his eyes and sized Buu up, trying to figure out just what the hell he was doing now. Buu ceased his laughing and glared at the two of them, his grin growing wider.

"You know, I really didn't think I was going to have to completely pull myself together to deal with you. But you and that stupid little pig-sticker of yours were really starting to piss me off. Really, I'm impressed you were willing to go through the trouble of cutting me into smaller pieces to burn. Do you know how _long _that would have taken you?"

Gohan snorted in irritation and hefted the sword higher. It was starting to feel heavy now, and Gohan knew that burning through his ki so rapidly was going to take its toll on him soon. A glance towards the fused Saiyans confirmed that Gogeta was starting to lose some of his steam as well, and yet Buu looked as fresh as he could have been.

_What the hell is this guy made out of?_

"Approximately six hundred billion separate lifeforms and a handful of gods, since you asked so politely! Conveniently, the part with the Kai's was all in that last piece you managed to miss!"

A cold chill ran through his bones as soon as that came out of his mouth. He stared hard at Buu, wondering how he was supposed to be made of all of that. The sheer numbers alone were staggering. Buu rolled his eyes irritably and tapped the side of his head.

"Oh honestly, why the hell do you think I was created in the first place? Bibidi wanted to be a god, and failing that, wanted to take the gods down to his control! Your little friend, the Supreme Kai as you call him, was one of those so called gods!"

Gohan groaned inwardly, suddenly beginning to understand what Buu was talking about. The ability to absorb people, their intelligence, and their energy, and to use it. Buu had simply devoured the Kais and retained the traits he wanted.

"Idiot though he was, Bibidi fed me one Civilization. Then another. Then a god. Then I ate another. Then another. Until all but one of those Kais was _mine_! I got smarter and more powerful, and now I'm whole once more! I'd have had this universe wrapped around my finger thousands of years ago. It wasn't until that wretch figured out I was going to eat him too that I was sealed away."

Gogeta grunted irritably, and the two of them shared a quick glance.

"Well, I'm guessing that means he's got all his pieces back now. That explains the makeover."

"Yea, and why he's got so much power. He's absorbed the Kais..."

Gogeta smirked evilly, and Gohan felt his face contort into a furious scowl. On the inside, his rage began to boil up again. He powered back up to maximum, gaining his second wind.

_Part Kai huh? That just adds fuel to the fire!_

"You run your mouth too much Buu!"

Buu settled back into a ready position, mimicking that of the Supreme Kai during the tournament, and waited for the attack. Gohan drew the sword back and charged, with Gogeta close by.

***SUPREME KAI'S WORLD***

"So, you mean to tell me that _this_ is the Buu you fought with and were defeated by?"

Shin and the elder Kai sat opposite each other across a relatively large crystal ball that was nestled in the grass between them. Shin clenched his fists and glared hard at the image, watching his movements as he fended off the attacks of both Gogeta and Gohan.

"Yes, or as close to it as I have seen so far. Buu changes his form as needed, but this one most similarly resembles the creature I fought myself. I had hoped that he had devolved in his time inside that pod with all the power he lost, but it seems he was just waiting. I should have known better. Now we just have to hope my preparations were sufficient to take him down."

Old Kai leaned over the ball and smacked the younger version of himself around the back of the head.

"How in the hell is that supposed to matter?! Just look at him! They can barely hit him now, and they were struggling to bring the other version of him down!"

Shin continued to watch the ball intently, furrowing his brow in thought as he did. The old Kai wasn't wrong, Gogeta and Gohan were struggling to make anything hit, even with their combined strength and tactical prowess. What's more, he knew that when they did hit, doing sufficient damage to the creature was going to be tough. While his body was more vulnerable to damage like this, he was nimble and quick. At the rate they were going, the planet around them was going to fall apart before any of them did.

Shin closed his eyes, thinking back over the millennia to recall everything he knew about the creature.

"Buu was created for the sole purpose of consuming the Kais, and he was very good at it. One of the first things he was unleashed to do was kill the Eastern Supreme Kai. She didn't stand a chance, surprised by it as she was. But after he had absorbed all that power, he suddenly became unstoppable. He tore his way through space, consuming entire planets and populations as he went, and without the eastern Kai, we had no clue it was even happening. Our first hint that something was wrong was when she failed to meet us at a regular gathering. Northern Supreme Kai went to investigate, and disappeared as well. He had absorbed him too. Now, combining the knowledge and power of two supreme Kais, we were hard pressed to do anything about it. There wasn't a soul, alive or dead, who had the ability to stop him except for the remaining Kais."

He paused, collecting his thoughts, and the old kai stroked his chin in thought, considering the situation.

"This went on until Buu managed to gain access to otherworld, and found his way here to the sacred planet. That was when we lost all hope. The grand Supreme Kai fell first, he destroyed himself in an attempt to take Buu down. Once he did and failed, so did the southern Supreme Kai, while I barely managed to escape with my life intact. Not before Bibidi managed to irreparably damage my mind and nervous system. I'm so out of touch with my own body and the world around me that I can barely be called a Kai in any way except for my long lifespan."

"Hmph… You're telling m-"

"_But_, I learned things. For starters, every time Buu absorbed one of the Kais, his nature became less and less chaotic. When he killed the first Supreme Kai, he had to have been in his purest form as Bibidi intended. He's almost got something resembling a conscience now, especially with how many others he's consumed besides the Kais. He let me survive, and to this day I can't figure out why. Also, there's this form of him, which is unusual when compared to the others. It's the only one I've seen bleed before. It's solid, like a simple carbon based life form from the North. It's just extremely dense. I imagine on Earth he weighs several times more than he looks. He can actually get tired like this, but I don't know how it's going to help take him down. The tradeoff is that he's far faster, harder to hit, and can hit even harder than before."

"So as long as he stays like this, he's actually able to be hurt?"

Shin swallowed the nervous lump in his throat.

"I hope so. We've given ourselves the best chance we could. Those Saiyans are our best shot."

***BACK ON EARTH***

"DAMMIT!"

Gohan's frustrated roar echoed through the air, making the air around them shudder. The planet was being shaken, the city in the distance was falling, and the canyons closest to them were beginning to crumble. Their fight had been dragged out over several miles of land, dancing between the Ocean, the cityscape, and the canyons nearby, and in that whole time neither Gogeta nor Gohan had managed to land a significant blow. The few that caught the creature proved to be less than effective, hitting his changed body and bouncing off like a hard rubber ball, or merely pushing the creature about. But Gohan was starting to notice things that weren't happening before.

Buu was being careful, fighting with astounding technique rivaling Gogeta's and Shin's, something which Gohan grudgingly accepted he was lacking in comparison. The creature's power was slowly diminishing from fighting alone, though at a far slower rate than Gohan's. More than that, he seemed to be susceptible to fatigue now. Gohan suspected that he was actually using air in his body for something because the creature was breathing heavily, with steam pouring out of the holes in its head and shoulders at regular intervals. But even then, he just couldn't make the sword connect.

Gohan rushed in as Buu landed a hard roundhouse kick to the face of Gogeta, who spun away with a pained snarl to impact the ground below. Closing the gap rapidly, Gohan began a flurry of strikes against Buu with a combination of sword strikes and kicks. All were dodged or blocked by Buu, who started a rapid counter. Gohan saw the incoming punch and rotated with it, allowing the blow to catch his shoulder instead of his sternum. The force of the impact sent his shoulder completely out of place, and with a sickening pop it came loose of its socket. Gohan hissed through his teeth but didn't stop, swinging the sword around one-handed and getting his first good hit since the change. The last two inches of blade dug into Buu's left pectoral, drawing a neat line diagonally across the creature's chest that opened a split second later, spraying a thin purple fluid and steam outwards. Buu screamed in pain, and Gohan was caught completely off guard while he backed off, clutching at the wound in his chest.

_What the… that worked?!_

Buu roared and lobbed a volley of pink blasts from his hands, forcing Gohan to dodge backwards in an attempt to give himself some distance and attempt to pop his shoulder back into place. He was halted by a firm hand on his back and turned his head to see Gogeta staring at Buu over his shoulder.

"That's an interesting development."

Without any warning, the Saiyan pushed roughly on Gohan's shoulder, and one loud pop and groan of pain later, his shoulder slowly began to stop aching. The two of them squared off, reassessing their target as Buu panted, clutching at the gash in his chest and warily glaring at his two opponents. Both sides were showing signs of fatigue and injuries. Buu with several small cuts and bruises to go with the large cut on his chest, and both of the Saiyans with more bruises between them than either cared to count and claw marks to match. But Buu's ki remained at a constantly high level.

"You know, you two are becoming more of a pain than I would have dared believe. How can beings like yourselves possess the skill and strength to take on a god? It's not possible."

Gohan readied himself to move again, taking a deep breath to try and reduce his heart-rate. He looked over at Gogeta, who was preparing likewise.

"Okay, one more time Gogeta, let's d-"

_**Pop**_

The almost comical sound rang in the air and suddenly there were two normal Saiyans instead of one fused Super Saiyan. Gohan felt his breath seize in his throat as Vegeta and Goku both blinked in confusion. They glanced at each other, then to Gohan, then to Buu. Realizing what had happened the two of them grimaced.

"Oh just fucking perfect! I knew it wasn't going to work!"

"Not now Vegeta!"

Buu started seething, looking between the two of them. A constant stream of steam began leaking out of his head before he screamed at them.

"Just what the hell was that supposed to be?!"

Goku laughed sheepishly, scratching at his cheek, but didn't answer Buu. He leaned in towards Vegeta and whispered behind his hand.

"Hey, Vegeta, now what? We didn't think the fight would outlast the fusion. And now we have to wait an hour."

Gohan gritted his teeth, glaring at Buu.

_Dammit this sucks! An hour! It's not like they aren't strong on their own, but Gogeta's power was immense! I didn't think it was even possible to reach those sorts of levels… Shit, they're going to have to fight as is…_

"Fine, let's go you two. We'll have to do without."

Buu took the initiative, charging for Goku first since he was the least prepared of the three of them. Gohan was quick to react though, dropping his newly re-settled shoulder and intercepting Buu on the way, burying it in his stomach. Steam gushed out with the impact and Buu was sent back.

"Hurry up!"

Gohan growled and pressed his advantage, swinging the sword around and narrowly missing Buu's head. He sensed Vegeta and Goku both powering up and continued his assault, buying them enough time to max out. Buu dodged each swing, and Gohan's hands began to feel heavier with each miss. Soon it was getting to the point that he had trouble stopping the blade from over-extending his body and leaving him vulnerable.

Gohan was getting furious now. He'd managed to hit Buu a couple times since he'd changed himself to this smaller form, but they weren't slowing him down any. He brought the sword up and around in an overhead strike, but suddenly found himself caught off balance. Buu had shot inside the ark of the swing, kicking his wrists and breaking his grip on the hilt. He hissed in pain and let the sword go to prevent his wrists from breaking. The sword spun off into the air, and Buu made to grab at it.

"Oh no you don't!"

He reached out and grabbed a hold of Buu's arm, crying out in pain when the flesh on his palms got seared by the heat. Not releasing his grip, he swung a leg around and kicked as hard as he could into Buu's gut. The resulting impact forced air out of the creature's mouth, and a burst of steam shot out of the holes in his arms and head again. Including the ones right underneath Gohan's hands.

"SHIT!"

The scalding heat forced him to let go, and the feeling in his palms disappeared completely. Fortunately for him, Buu seemed winded, and the cavalry arrived just in time to catch him while he was down. Vegeta shot past his left, lightning arcing from his glowing form and into Buu just as the two connected. He drove a knee right into Buu's still-stunned face, and a sickening crack could be heard ringing through the air for miles. Gohan hissed through his teeth as he frantically tried to cool his burning hands.

"Kakarot, now!"

Gohan looked over his shoulder and was thoroughly surprised to see his father rushing into the fray with long golden locks flowing over his back. He blinked in shock a few times to be sure he wasn't seeing things, and watched dumb-struck as the two of them repeatedly did what they could not combined.

Shaking away his shock, he looked about for the sword. But it had been sent off to who knows where, and he didn't have time to go searching for it. Ignoring the pain in his hands and his sense of loss over the Z-sword, he balled them into fists and went after them.

"Go! While we have him down, let's finish him!"

Goku's call spurred the other two on, and Gohan happily obliged. He charged in, swapping with Vegeta as the Prince delivered a crushing kick to Buu's exposed throat. Goku rebounded the reeling creature with a three punch combo and Gohan swooped in to drop an axe kick right into the creature's back. To his delight, he felt something give, and a loud crack echoed in the air. Buu squealed in pain and dropped the several hundred feet to the ground, kicking up a huge dust cloud. Without any of the others saying a word, they began charging their blasts, intent on wiping Buu from the face of the Planet in one final blow.

_This could very well destroy the Earth… But we don't have many choices left. I'm tired, and I know the other two are too… One final push…_

"KAAAMEEEEHAAAMEEEEE-"

"FINAL -"

"MASEEENKO-"

Three separate blasts formed in their hands, lighting up the sky and causing the air itself to vibrate with power. A moment passed where everything seemed to go silent.

"HAAAAAAAAAA!"

"FLASH!"

"HAAAAAAAAA!"

The three blasts tore the air apart, creating a spectacular lightshow on the ground consisting of blue, white, and yellow light. The dust and vegetation around the area began to get tossed up and thrown all over, creating a mesmerizing show. The beams streaked in, twisting around each other and slamming into the ground where Buu's body could be seen laying face-up in a crater. The colossal explosion that followed blasted the three back before any of them could react properly, sending them flying back on a super-heated shockwave. Gohan struggled to maintain his consciousness as he was tossed about like a ragdoll. It all came to an abrupt halt when Gohan hit water, and everything went black.

* * *

He opened his eyes slowly at first when he came to, cursing the aching in his head. The first thing he realized was that he was thankfully _not _still in the water, but he could hear the beach near him. The second, was that he was staring up into a very large, and very familiar eye. He blinked away his confusion, forcing his mind to catch up with the rest of him.

"Icarus?"

The dragon continued to stare at him a moment before falling back on his rear haunches, sitting much like an over-sized dog and groaning deep in his chest. Gohan woke himself the rest of the way up and got to his feet, forcing the water out of his good ear by tilting his head to the side. He peered up at the dragon and noticed that he was dripping wet.

"Heh… you pulled me out of there didn't you boy? Thanks, I owe you one."

Icarus grunted, and the two of them looked towards the darkened part of the sky where a huge mushroom cloud could be seen crawling up and outwards from the blast site. Gohan suddenly remembered that the other two had also been caught in the blast and quickly set about searching for them with his ki. He was relieved to find both of them, though greatly reduced in power. All the same, he sighed in relief.

"Good, they're alive. Man, I thought we'd doomed ourselves there, hitting the planet so hard like that. Buu must have absorbed a lot of it then..."

_Just like when I self-destructed… I had enough power in me then to kill the sun._

With that thought in mind, he decided that he had to find the others and make sure that they had finished the job. He had a gut feeling that even with that intense a blast, Buu was still alive somehow. It just seemed like something the creature would do. He took to the air immediately, ignoring the protests of his body as it begged him to stop and rest. He locked onto Vegeta's ki, which was the nearest to him and headed that direction as quickly as he could manage. His path took him in a direction to where the blast crater was off to his left. He could see smoke still billowing up from it, with the red flashing glow of lava decorating it. He found himself heading towards a small patch of trees, and quickly found the prince among them. He heard Icarus land heavily behind him, and quickly made his way to where Vegeta was sprawled out with blood leaking from his forehead.

"Hnnng… shadup wommmnnn… eeeu 'aaad 'nufff aa'rready."

Gohan knelt by the Vegeta's head, looking at his dazed expression and then up at the row of trees and rocks he must have hit his head on when "landing". He let out an exasperated sigh and abruptly slapped the prince, waking him from his dazed state. Vegeta shot up, looking about for an attacker with a shout, but only found Gohan. He stared at Gohan for a few seconds before narrowing his eyes dangerously.

"What did you hear?..."

Gohan sighed and shook his head at the prince.

"Nothing. Let's get moving, dad's off that way and we need to make sure Buu is dealt with. We _need_ to be sure."

Vegeta crossed his arms indignantly but followed when Gohan took off.

"You know brat, you're really starting to get annoying, spouting out orders like that. You're lucky I have respect for you, or you'd have died a long time ago."

"Yeah yeah."

They continued on in silence after that, only the sound of the wind and the beating of Icarus' wings behind them disturbing them. Gohan felt his father's ki raise a considerable amount and begin moving towards them. He let a smile dance on his lips. They had yet to feel anything from Buu, and he dared to hope that their attack had been successful, leaving them with the task of cleaning up the mess. Gohan pulled up short when he saw Goku in the distance, jetting towards them with a big grin on his face. Vegeta halted next to him while Icarus began flying circles around them.

"Hmph… Here we are after the most severe battle any of us have ever faced, and that idiot is just grinning like normal… Typical…"

Gohan snorted when he realized the prince's tone wasn't nearly as harsh as normal. Hell, he felt some pressure get lifted off his shoulders, and yet he couldn't fully relax until they confirmed Buu was actually gone. Goku caught up to them and halted, looking towards the still-burning crater in the distance and scratching the back of his head.

"That was a little bit more power than I expected. You think we got him?"

Vegeta scoffed, crossing his arms and giving him a critical glare.

"How could _anything _have survived that?! Hell if we hadn't hit him directly then we would have just destroyed the Earth _and _anything on the other side of it!"

Gohan sighed heavily, catching both of the full blooded Saiyan's attention.

"Gohan… What is it?"

He met his father's worried gaze before looking towards the crater.

"We need to go see for sure. I detonated myself with everything I had to kill Buu, to no effect. And that was _before_ he ate a few billion more people. That blast had enough energy behind it to rival a small supernova, and yet it didn't destroy the planet. Buu absorbed so much of that energy, just like this time…"

Vegeta and Goku caught on, both of them nodding their understanding and putting on their serious faces. Gohan took a deep breath and felt out with his ki, alarmed to realize how depleted the three of theirs really were in the process. But he still couldn't feel Buu. Vegeta took the lead, and the other two followed quickly.

"No point in waiting around then is there? The sooner we can confirm Buu is dead, the sooner I can take a fucking nap."

***KING KAI'S WORLD***

Videl felt her heartbeat picking up rapidly in anticipation as she watched what was happening through King Kai. The last half hour had been a roller coaster of excitement, terror, and all sorts of ups and downs. She hardly understood all of what was going on since she had trouble actually following all of their movements, but kept her focus on Gohan the entire time so that she could do something like Bardock had said she would. As of yet, he seemed to have been perfectly in control of himself, a fact that wasn't lost on King Kai either. But the kai kept his eyes peeled, observing the demi just as closely as Videl. Now that the battle was apparently over, King Kai breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"Man, that one was a doozie. I remember when Goku turned Super Saiyan for the first time on Namek, he completely zapped my antennae! All that training paid off for me too! Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to watch that happen at all!"

She could hear the others talking behind her, discussing what she and King Kai had been relaying to them. It appeared that Kibito had left a short while before when she wasn't paying attention, stating that he had to check on the progress of something elsewhere. As a whole the group of Z-fighters were in awe of what had just happened. From what she could gather, they were actually able to sense the combined blast, even though they weren't anywhere near it.

Videl hesitated to believe it was over, seeing how the three Saiyans were behaving. They were moving towards the site of the blast, and they were doing it quickly. She felt sweat forming on her brow, and she cleared her throat, interrupting King Kai in the middle of whatever rant he had just started going off on.

"Hey King Kai, can… can you look at the center of the blast? Something still doesn't feel right, and I think those three feel it too."

"Uh… sure kid, I don't see why not…"

The image in her mind shifted until they were peering into the fiery inferno that had been created on the surface of her home planet. She was acutely reminded of when Gohan had died and the destruction that had brought, and thought that this was surely what it must've looked like up close and personal. Magma boiled to the surface, spouting into the air as lava and cooling immediately. The rock solidified and landed back in the giant pool at the center to be melted down again. It wasn't until she noticed a strange way the lava was moving that she felt the dread fully settle in her gut.

"There! Do you see that, what is that?"

King Kai hesitated, his breath catching as they watched. The lava boiled up again, but the bubble didn't pop, in fact it shot out like a tentacle and caught itself on a solid island of rock nearby. Then another followed, and another. The fluid began to blacken and crack, and a sickly pink ooze began to poke through the cracks forming in it. This happened over and over again all around the island. She knew for certain that her gut feeling was right. It hadn't been enough, and Buu was recovering, albeit slowly. She began panicking, and squeezed the Kai's shoulder hard.

"Warn them! You have to warn them King Kai!"

"Right."

Behind her, she heard the others moving in closer, and Piccolo spoke to her.

"It didn't work did it? I could feel the power of that blast from here… It wasn't enough?"

She didn't need to look at him to see the dumbstruck look on his face, and imagined that the others were reacting very much the same. She clenched her eyes tighter and balled her free hand into a fist.

"No, it wasn't. Buu's recovering even as we speak! Dammit I thought they had him!"

They fell back into an uncomfortable silence as they waited for the battle to continue.

***EARTH***

_**You guy's hold up a second! Buu's alive still, and he's getting himself back together!**_

The three of them stopped, looking at the others in shock before any of them could find words. Icarus dodged the three of them and dropped from the sky to land on a solid chunk of rock, glaring up at them with apparent irritation. Vegeta just grimaced and stared at the cloud of smoke rising from the crater, while Goku responded for the group.

"Are you sure King Kai? We can't sense anything-"

_**Of course I'm sure! I just saw it for myself, he's going to be ready and come after you momentarily! You've got to prepare yourself for him, or he's going to take you all down before you can counter him!**_

Gohan and Goku shared a worried look, one which the Saiyan prince was soon reflecting. Gohan examined his own body, noting all the aches and pains, not to mention the several wounds he had sustained in the earlier fighting. On top of that his balance and sense of hearing was still out of whack. He wasn't even sure he could muster up the type of strength he'd had prior to the old Kai's treatment.

_And I bet Dad and Vegeta are in similar situations. The one saving grace for me is that I don't have to transform…_

Vegeta's harsh voice brought him out of his musings.

"Dammit! We used so much ki during that fight, and I'm beat to hell! Kakarot, you don't look much better yourself, and the boy is _still_ bleeding."

"Maybe we did enough damage that we can still fight him as is?"

Gohan groaned and scratched at the back of his head. All three of them finally noticed a rising ki in the direction of the Lava pit. They held their breath and waited, hoping against hope that the Ki would stop growing before long. But it seemed that it just kept going and going, until it finally leveled off. Gohan grunted in frustration, realizing that for all their power, they had only wounded the beast. It 's ki wasn't nearly as intense as it had been before, and he thought that were he fresh, he could take on Buu alone. But he wasn't, and now the ki was definitely moving about.

"We don't have time for anything else, get ready!"

Gohan tapped into his remaining reserves of ki and brought it forth, surprising himself with the amount of strength still flowing through his veins. His blue-white aura burst to life, the flames of it licking the air into a frenzy. He saw a golden aura burst up around both Goku and Vegeta, but neither of them could muster the energy needed for more than the base level of Super Saiyan. Both of them looked down at themselves and clenched their fists in frustration.

_Nothing for it, they're tapped out. Even dad's been reduced to this. Super Saiyan three must have burned through more energy than he thought. I'm not nearly as worn out as those two right now, but I'll attribute that to whatever the old Kai did to me.._

The ki closed even faster, and before any of the three of them could react further, Buu was there. But he didn't attack immediately. He stopped a mere stone's throw away, glaring at them, and his sickly pinkish skin was literally bubbling. Gohan narrowed his teal colored eyes, feeling sick just looking at him.

"No… No more… I don't… I can't…"

The three Saiyans watched in bewilderment as Buu's head hung and his shoulders hunched in pain, and his skin bubbled even more violently. Gohan couldn't believe his ears. Buu sounded tired, if that were even possible. Steam was being jettisoned from holes all over him at a much slower pace, like they just didn't care about making a show any more. The pink creature lifted it's head and glared hard at Gohan. There was rage and pain, and Gohan saw a reflection of his own hate filled eyes that looked back at him from his mirror every morning for the last seven years.

"Billions of them… Screaming… Kill me… I want it over."

The words barely escaped Buu's lips before a particularly large bubble expanded outwards on the side of his head and burst, and a bright pink explosion of flesh came pouring out. A completely different expression took over his face, and he seemed to struggle with an intense wave of pain.

"YOU CRETEN! I AM MAJIN BUU! I DESTROY BECAUSE I CAN! I DO NOT HAVE A CONSCIENCE!"

The stuff began to expand, taking over the side of Buu's head, covering up the greyer colored skin. Then another one exploded on his stomach. Then his arm. Then legs.

"I'm tired of it. Babidi is dead. Bibidi is dead. I don't serve a purpose now. Just let me die."

Little bubbles began bursting all over him and his body was being consumed by his insides, like what was inside was trying to swallow him whole.

"BEGONE! I DON'T NEED YOU!"

The being struggled for words a few times, but nothing else came out that was coherent. Gohan prepared himself to grab a hold of Goku and tell him to get them out of there in case Buu was going to simply self-destruct like he feared.

"What the _hell_ is going on?!"

"Is he transforming again? What else does he have up his sleeve?"

"I think we're about to find out. Keep your eyes open, none of us are in any shape to be getting blind-sided."

The bubbles didn't stop, expanding more and more until what was once a body had been turned into a huge mass of freshly-chewed bubble-gum looking muck. It boiled and contorted, twisting about itself and releasing steam the whole time. Mere seconds later, an all-too familiar face began pushing out of it. It was the same face that had been haunting Gohan for the last few days, the same face that he had stared into when his own life had been extinguished. Black, soulless pits where there should have been eyes. A mouth that was barely more than a slit with discolored fangs protruding from it in a feral grin. He felt a chill run down his spine, and his hair stood on end. He noticed that Buu's ki was changing too, with most of it changing in its feeling to something of almost pure malice and hatred, and the old ki being shrunk into a fragment until they could be distinguished as two completely separate ki. The blob began forming, bringing back to them the familiar form of the feral Buu's that had plagued the planet. Except this one was giant. The thing hung in the air, its useless looking lower body hanging freely from the bulky mass that was an upper body. There was no discernable neck or any other features on the lumpy looking head perched on top of massive shoulders. Almost immediately the thing plummeted from the sky to crash into the ground below, forcing Icarus to scramble away in a panic as a cloud of dust kicked up under him.

"What the hell is _that?_"

Gohan tried to make sense of what was happening, but couldn't figure it out to save his life.

"It looks like the mini Buu's I killed… More importantly, can you feel that? There's two ki down there now."

The three of them shared a confused look before nodding in unison and dropping until they touched the rock a good distance away. Buu seemed to be choking on something, coughing much like a cat would with a hairball, and making all three of them want to puke with the horrendous odor that was wafting towards them on its breath.

"I can't figure it out… What's it doing?"

"I'm not sure we should give it a chance to finish, whatever it is."

But then the smell got even worse, and the trio looked up in time to see Buu shudder and gag one more time. A disgusting pink slime dripped from its mouth, followed closely by chunk of something solid that came sliding out of Buu's throat to fall to the rock below with a wet splat.

"Ugh…"

"I think I'm going to be sick…"

Gohan buried his disgust and narrowed his eyes, inspecting the thing Buu had just upchucked as best he could. The pink ooze dripped off of it, and Gohan was quickly able to make out the details. He gasped in shock when he realized what it was.

"Guys… look at it. The two separate ki? The transformation? Buu's behavior just before now? He's split himself into two separate parts."

He was certain of it now. He could make out limbs, a head, and a distinguishable body. The skin was a pink-grey color. That thing covered in slime was the Buu they had just witnessed getting swallowed from the inside out.

_Why would Buu do that? What just happened?_

A heavy grunt came from the twisted maw of the larger creature as it stared at the smaller one. Those black pits showed no emotion and no real sense of intelligence. Without any warning it raised one of its enormous arms skyward and brought down hard on top of the smaller Buu, making the ground shake beneath their feet and kicking up a concealing cloud of dust and pulverized rock. The three Saiyans shielded their eyes from the incoming shrapnel, and quickly made their move. Without speaking they decided to split up, with Goku heading up the middle while Gohan and Vegeta flanked to the outsides. The charged into the dust, picking their target out from behind its layer of concealment and moving in to attack.

Gohan tried his best to gage how powerful this version of Buu was in comparison, but couldn't get a solid read on it. He began packing ki into his fist, preparing to strike with it and see what sort of damage he could do.

_The smaller ones were really only susceptible to ki since their bodies just remolded how they wanted, the big one was the same, while the grey one was a lot denser and quicker. Ki blasts seemed to bounce off of him while my blade was able to do some actual damage. This one?..._

The answer shocked him. He charged headlong into the dust, and came face to face with Vegeta. The both of them pulled up short, blinking in surprise and dropping their raised fists. Goku appeared a second later, looking just as confused as they were.

"Wha-… Where'd he go?!"

The three of them spun about, back to back and looking for their target.

"He's still here! I can feel his ki still. So where is he?!"

The dust began to settle, sunlight coming down on their faces from above, and they still couldn't see him. They hovered there, looking about in a panic until Gohan felt a sharp elbow in his side. He turned his head towards Vegeta, and had to do a double take when he noticed where the prince was looking: Straight down. A look somewhere between shock, fear, and disgust lined his face, and he appeared to be struggling to find the words he needed to say. Gohan dropped his gaze and understood why immediately. The ground beneath them was covered in a thick layer of pink goo that had expanded outwards until it was covering an area that stretched hundreds of feet in all directions.

"What the…"

Too late they realized what Buu had done and was doing, and the pink goo shot upwards on all sides like a great tidal wave that was crashing in from all directions at once. Shadows quickly covered the three of them, and Gohan felt a sharp sense of fear and déjà vu wash over him.

_No! Not again!_

He looked up for a way out only to have it slam shut on them, leaving them in a dim pink twilight as the suns light barely made it through the membrane around them. It began closing in, and it was already getting unbearably hot. Goku and Vegeta unleashed their auras, slowing the walls that were closing in around them, and Gohan threw a blast at the wall in an attempt to make them an escape route. He almost cried out in despair when the membrane stretched and expanded, but didn't burst with the ki.

He felt his fear grip him tighter. Goku and Vegeta fought for all they were worth to force the walls back, but their strength didn't last long in the rotting insides of Buu. Vegeta's faded first, with the prince dropping out of Super Saiyan altogether and collapsing until Gohan caught him to keep him from touching the slime. The walls got closer, until the three of them were almost touching them. Goku's began to fade, accompanied by his grunts of pain and exhaustion. Gohan snapped himself out of his stunned state and tried once more to blast their way out, throwing a masenko at the wall that was right in front of his face, but to the same effect as before.

_We're trapped…_

***SUPREME KAI'S WORLD***

Shin was pulling at his Mohawk in frustration as he watched the situation unfold on Earth. He'd seen everything, including Buu's apparent split, and the trap that had been set for the Saiyans.

"No, no, no, no, NO! _How _could you fall for that trick?!"

"Would you calm down?! Geesh, it's like you're a professional drama queen!"

Shin rounded on his elder, pointing a finger at the crystal ball.

"Calm down?! How can I calm down when they just got swallowed by Buu? Buu just absorbed three of the most powerful fighters in the universe. And now he's going to make his way here! And then what? How are you so calm!?"

The old Kai merely groaned in irritation and pointed at the crystal ball.

"Because they're not absorbed yet you moron! More than that, they've got a bit more help than you thought."

***BACK ON EARTH – INSIDE BUU***

The first ray of bright light crashed into Gohan's eyes, forcing him to squint against it. It accompanied a sharp tearing sound and an earth-shattering guttural roar. He saw the hole in the membrane widen and the area around it ripple as something sharp was dragged through it. Then there was another hole, and Gohan could see something dark blotting out the light from the outside. Three new rips appeared, and now he could make out the enormous claws that were cleaving through the material. A snout pushed its way through the largest one, and a set of ivory white teeth gnashed through them, accompanied by a terrifying growl. Gohan watched as Icarus thrashed and ripped at Buu from the outside. The faint pounding and sound of claws told him that his tail and hind legs were also trying to bash and tear their way through him.

Seeing his way out, Gohan tried to assist the dragon, encumbered as he was by holding Vegeta in the air. He blasted at an area of flesh next to Icarus' snout, forcing the material to stretch, opening the rent wider. Icarus clamped onto it with those teeth and began pulling hard, jerking and twisting his head on its long serpentine neck. The strain of the material was audible, and accompanied by a loud roar coming from Buu.

"NO YOU DON'T!"

The scream came from directly below them, and Gohan looked down to see that same face protruding from beneath them. He let out a yelp and sent a one-handed blast downwards, halting Buu's head in its tracks as it extended from the goo, baring its teeth at them. He looked up again when he felt a hot breath on his head and panicked a bit when darkness enclosed him. He maintained his hold on Vegeta and struggled against the jaws that had bitten down on him. He could feel teeth threatening to puncture his Saiyan armor around his chest, and the slimy tongue had bristles on it that clung to his exposed arms like Velcro. It took him a second to realize that he was being pulled and jerked about by the jaws surrounding him, and then a whiny grunt came up from the gullet now above his head. From outside the jaws, he could hear his father yelling at them.

"Pull Icarus! You've almost got us out!"

It was then that Gohan realized it was the dragon who had clamped down on him and was trying to rescue them, albeit with an unusual and honestly terrifying method of doing so. Realizing that he could help, he threw his ki downwards, and felt them all jolt upwards. Goku grabbed onto his ankle, getting pulled upwards with him and Vegeta. He knew they were free when seemingly cold air kissed his bare skin that wasn't in the Dragon's mouth, and he felt himself almost floating weightlessly through the air. The pressure from Icarus' jaws let up and he found himself falling ungracefully from the dragon's mouth. He landed in a heap on top of Vegeta, who hadn't been as lucky as him with his choice of attire, and was bleeding from a couple rather nasty looking puncture wounds in his upper torso where Icarus' teeth had dug in. A quick moment of reflection had Gohan realize that if he wanted to, Icarus was capable of ripping them to shreds with those teeth. He was thankful then that the Dragon was as careful as he had been in the situation.

Goku was already darting about, using what ki he had left to try and stop Buu from reforming completely. The power of his Kamehameha wave was washing over them and blowing the dust and ashes all over, but Gohan knew it wouldn't be enough. They were fighting a losing battle. He looked at the Prince of Saiyans, deciding that if they were going to die, all three of them were going to die fighting. He pressed a palm against Vegeta's chest and prepared to give some of his energy to the prince. But he was interrupted. Vegeta wasn't unconscious like Gohan thought, and reached up to grip his wrist.

"Don't waste it kid. Y-you're it. D-don't let it… win..."

With what strength he had left, Vegeta held his other hand skyward and gathered his ki. A pale white orb formed in his palm, and with a final grunt, shot into the air, where it expanded and burned bright. Icarus and Gohan watched it rise, and Gohan felt dread fill his gut as he recognized it. Vegeta released the demi's wrist and let it fall limply at his side.

"Don't… Waste… it…"

But Gohan didn't hear his words. His blood was already pounding in his ears as he looked up at the burning ball. The roar of the Kamehameha his father was fighting to hold wasn't there anymore. The Dragon standing behind him wasn't there. There was nothing to him, except for that damned ball of light. His breathing came shorter and shorter, and a burning all through his body began to cause him some severe pain. He roared in agony as the transformation began, and everything started to black out. For a while he couldn't see or hear anything, and the only thing he could feel was his own body writhing in agony of its own accord. He lost all of his rational thought, replaced only with urges and instincts. His blood was boiling with rage and lust for destruction and death. It was all he knew. His sight faded back in, hued red by the amount of blood coursing through his eyes, and the pain stopped.

His hearing began to come back, but his thought didn't. All that was left was his instincts. He just felt the urge to destroy. To maim and tear, and bite. He cast his eyes around, taking in the burning world around him without a care, and roared a challenge to the sky. A commotion to his left caught his eye and he turned his now massive head and shoulders to see it.

_There! I must Destroy! KILL! KILL!_

He charged forward at the thing that caught his attention first, a large mushy looking substance that was wriggling in just a way that infuriated him. It moved about like a worm, a giant worm that he wanted to crush until it leaked through his fist as blood. His huge fists slammed down into it, squishing it against the shattered ground and roaring in pleasure as he felt it give way. He continued to pound down on the thing until he was certain that it was dead, and roared to the sky while pounding his chest in triumph. Another strange sound caught his ear, and he looked down to see another creature there waving it's arms about and causing his eye to twitch in rage.

It was tiny. It was tiny and making a lot of noise. It was maddening. He had to crush it. He had to destroy it. He felt the rage and fire build in his chest, and he unleashed it with a roar. The roar carried a blast on his breath that ripped the air apart in front of him. But the bug was quick, and shot skyward before his rage could hit it. The ground it was standing on exploded outwards, and a trench was carved into the ground that stretched for miles. He traced the path made by the bug with his eyes. It made him angry. A part of him wanted to fight the urge to kill it, but the overwhelming majority of him wanted to see it dead.

_I MUST KILL IT!_

**A/N: Well, there you guys go! And since you've read my work, hopefully none of you are too surprised by the cliffy. It's what I do =D. Anyways, as I said, here's another note on Gohan, because I feel like I left some detailed information out. If you understood me, then great! If, like the guest who left a rather confusing review as to Gohan's power levels in what form and bla bla bla (I didn't understand it all, but hey if one person asks, then someone else is thinking it), then read on. As in the Anime, Gohan with his potential unleashed does not require a transformation to reach his maximum power. According to some speculative analysis and what I hear all the time, Gohan has more power than a Super Saiyan 3 Goku in the anime, but doesn't have to transform to get it. The old Kai unlocked his latent potential, which basically reversed the effect that Gohan's slacking off for 7 years caused. In this version, since I _didn't_ have Gohan slack off for those 7 years, I just modified it a little bit. Instead of undoing the physical deficiencies that the Anime Gohan had, I decided to go after his mind and soul issues. The idea is that he fully fights to his potential with no second guessing himself or hesitation. As I said in chapter 35, the old Kai helped him see exactly who he was, calmed his broken spirit, and made him realize there was no shame in who he had become, as well as unlocking his ability to fight at max strength without wasting any energy for transforming. hopefully I made it clear without saying it that he has new confidence, less reluctance around his friends, and is wanting to repair the years of damage he caused being so anti-anybody. So for all intents and purposes, he is as close to canon Gohan as he's going to get (including his look in "ultimate" form of white/blue aura, black hair, and teal eyes when powered up). Which means (drumroll) he's still the most powerful unfused character at this point in time in the story line. **

**Another unrelated side note, there is still such a thing as the Potara fusion in my fic, however, I don't like the circumstances it was used in the show. I especially don't like how they nullified a "permanent" fusion of Goku and Vegeta by having him get swallowed by Buu. Like seriously Mr. Toriyama, I love you and all but couldn't you come up with something else? Minor issue at best, but I went ahead and just... didn't include it for the sake of simplicity.**


	39. All or Nothing

**Howdy! We're back again, and I'm just going to say up front that this will be the second to last chapter of this fic, and it may leave some of you with questions. The first half of it poured out of me in about six hours, and the last half took me a few days because I got all ADD with the final chapter. In other words, I'm trying to decide how to finish it (already have 3 different finishing chapters partially written, trying to decide which to go with). This one is a bit shorter than the last two, and I purposefully left a lot of things hanging. And no, it's not because I'm an ass who loves leaving people in suspense, but because if I were to write out all the things I wanted to, this chapter would have been 20K+ words long (excluding my notes), and ain't nobody got time for that. So, next chapter is going to have all the other POV's, all the other plot fillers, and all the pieces I left out in this one. Don't worry, I didn't leave this one empty or devoid of meaning. There's just too much happening in my head to get it all squeezed into one *readable* chapter. You're going to see something happen in this one that you may or may not agree with, and trust me, you'll know exactly what it is when you see it, or don't see it depending on how you think about it. Explanation at the end! So for now, onto the story! I hope you all are entertained by it. Please read the notes at the end of this chapter as well? I do realize that there are a lot of them. But I know a lot of people wonder why I write things the way I do. I have a lot of random ideas while writing, and I hate being misunderstood when I'm getting it on paper. So, please R&amp;R and enjoy!**

**Chapter 39: All or Nothing**

Goku threw himself off of the ground as soon as he saw the blast form. The golden beam of light scorched the air he had just vacated, and he watched it disappear behind him into the distance, carving out a huge chunk of the Earth in the process. He looked back towards his son, now fully on alert and awaiting yet another attack. It was all too familiar a scene to him. It brought him back to the days when Vegeta was trying to find the Earth's dragon balls. This was the first time he'd seen an Oozaru in a very long time.

Gohan had expanded to an incredible size, with a thick coat of matte black hair covering all of his exposed skin. His face had elongated into the snout and powerful jaws of a great ape. The Saiyan armor that was covering his chest had also been stretched, and still covered his vitals. The areas where it had cracked and been damaged left vast holes large enough for him to squeeze through. But for the most part, all of his wounds had healed shut beneath them. The bloodshot eyes glared at him with no hint that Gohan was even in there at all, and the worst part of it all was the ki radiating off of him, which was now being directed towards the Saiyan.

_Man, what incredible power! When he transformed I thought we were all set! He beat Buu down into the ground hard, I thought he was going to crack the Earth in half with how hard he was swinging. I didn't think he'd be so out of control!_

But then another thought occurred to him. Vegeta had been the one to trigger the transformation. Which meant the Prince was still over by where Gohan had transformed. He looked in that direction and saw that Icarus was still there and was apparently trying to stir the now unconscious Saiyan. Gohan charged him and Goku barely had time to dodge the enormous hand that sent him reeling from the pressure wave alone. He threw his ki downwards and shot up and over Gohan, getting his distance. He was slightly relieved when Gohan seemed to lose interest suddenly, and started swatting at the ground in frustration. His roars made the air around him vibrate violently, and Goku had to cover his ears and flee. Once a safe distance away, he watched his son continue to pulverize anything within arm's reach, be it random rocks or simply the wall of the crater they had chased after Buu into.

He turned when he heard an unusual squelching sound from below him, and lurched back in fear when a giant pink tendril of goo shot upwards to try and catch him. He dodged it and the tendril dropped back down to the rest of Buu, who had used his arm like a giant whip. The large hulking creature growled and looked up towards Goku, a wild grin on his features. Those black pits widened and Buu launched himself off of the ground towards Goku. Prepared for the attack, but keeping his eye on his Son, Goku dodged beneath the creatures outstretched arms and fired a volley of blasts at it to get his distance. Several of them exploded on Buu's skin, leaving him pockmarked with black soot that floated away on the breeze.

_Man, it's no good! I don't have enough power to take him down myself!I have to get Gohan to snap out of it! _

Using his temporary reprieve from Buu's attack, Goku shot towards his son, who ceased his assault on the rocks around him when he neared. Gohan's head turned on his huge shoulders and one great red eye focused in on Goku, who tried getting through to him.

"Gohan! Son, you have to snap out of it! Buu's still there, you have to get-"

He was cut off as the back of Gohan's hand shot out, and he was batted aside. He felt his nose break as it was crushed, and his entire front ached. Dazed for a moment, he was unable to control his descent and slammed into the ground below. He gasped for air as the pain caught up to him, and got to his feet as quickly as he could. He was just in time, as Gohan's enlarged foot came descending down onto the place where he had just been. Still struggling to breathe, he launched himself towards the back of Gohan's head, determined to get to the young demi. He grabbed onto one of Gohan's ears and pulled hard, making the demi roar in pain.

"Stop this Gohan! You've got to get a hold of yourself! Come on son, it's me!"

He was once again cut off when Gohan's hand came shooting up, and he dodged sideways to avoid being crushed against the demi's skull. Gohan roared to the sky, and all Goku could do was watch from above in despair. It came as a complete surprise that Icarus swooped down from out of nowhere, his huge wings expanded as he roughly landed on Gohan's back. Goku watched in awe as the dragon clamped down on the scruff of Gohan's neck, and began clawing at his back with his hind claws, snarling and growling the whole time. The armor chipped and broke away under the onslaught, and Gohan tried desperately to grab a hold of the Dragon. Goku clenched his teeth and looked for Buu , trying to keep the whole battlefield in his vision.

The pink creature was on the ground again, watching the scene with those black eyes and a look of sadistic glee on his face. Goku didn't exactly know what Buu had done to himself, but he was certain the creature knew exactly how bad of a turn this was for them, and was enjoying every suspenseful second of it. Buu wasn't even having to fight them, and at this rate they were going to lose horribly. A pained roar came from the struggle behind him, and Goku watched in horror as Gohan finally got a hold of Icarus. The demi managed to grab onto his flailing tail, and pulled hard. Icarus came loose, pulling chunks of fur covered flesh away with him.

"Too bad. Buu kill you soon!"

Goku ignored the rough and horribly powerful voice of Buu and launched himself back into the fray, his rage and fear overpowering his judgement. Gohan swung Icarus around by his tail, slamming the Dragon down into the ground before him with an earth-shattering crash. Seeing Gohan lift his foot in preparation to crush the vastly overpowered dragon, Goku put on a burst of speed with his golden aura flashing about him.

"NO GOHAN! DON'T DO IT!"

He shut his eyes in preparation for the impact, and felt his very bones shudder when his shoulder met his son's now exposed back. The Oozaru grunted in pain and they were both sent tumbling forward. Goku knew he had broken a couple bones in his shoulder with that impact, but the pain wasn't reaching him yet. It wasn't until Gohan pushed himself over and scooped up the Saiyan in one of his enormous hands that the pain set in. Goku grimaced in agony as he felt the fingers grip him tighter while the demi got to his feet. He could hear Buu laughing in the background, he could hear Icarus growling and trying to get up. But he couldn't do anything but watch and wait as Gohan held him up to eye level. The hot breath that came from the Oozaru washed over him, and Goku opened his eyes to see he was face to face with Gohan, barely five feet away from his snout. He watched in fear as those red eyes inspected him, and then cried out as the fingers got even tighter. A deep growl rumbled out from the chest of his son before being unleashed as a roar that forced him to shut his eyes with how loud it was. He could barely breathe, and he felt himself drop out of Super Saiyan as his strength started to leave him and his body began to give way under the strain.

_Please Gohan… It's me… Remember… Please, remember!_

***EARLIER – KING KAI'S PLANET***

Videl watched things unfold on her home planet, horrified and completely confused at the same time. She watched as the Saiyans all gathered their respective strength, though all three of them looked exceedingly beat up to her. Then there was Buu's change, which she didn't understand at all. He'd seemed so much more agile and capable before, and then he just reverted back to his old form, and spat out what appeared to be that part of himself. Besides being completely disgusting, she had no clue what any of it meant. When she had relayed it to the others, they seemed to be as confused as she was. Then there was that horrible trap that Buu had set for them, and she thought it was all over. Surprised didn't quite cover what she felt seeing Icarus swoop in and begin clawing away at the rapidly shrinking pink blob, and relief was an understatement when she saw he had pulled all three of them out.

But of course, they didn't stop confusing her unbalanced emotions there. Goku had immediately set about attacking Buu again, and Gohan rushed to Vegeta's side, with Icarus watching over them. Vegeta had said something and shot a white ball of ki into the air, seemingly pointless to her… Up until she saw what it was meant to do. She'd heard Gohan say something once before about a transformation Saiyans were capable of during a full moon, but nothing had prepared her for this. Gohan grew, and grew, and hair sprouted all over his body, all of it turning a pitch black color. It was only a short minute before there was nothing left resembling Gohan except for the armor and the tail, which was now flailing about behind him like an enormous snake instead of being around his waist.

"That's… Gohan? That can't be Gohan…"

"What? What happened?"

Piccolo's voice caused her to open her eyes and look towards the gathered Z-fighters, who were all watching her with varying levels of attention and apparent interest. Piccolo stood closest to her, his arms crossed and his expression that of serious concern.

"He's… Uhh well he transformed again. Vegeta did this thing with a white ball of light and it made Gohan turn into a huge monkey…"

Piccolo closed his eyes and sighed heavily, looking skyward with what appeared to be exhaustion. In the background, Yamcha seemed to get completely lost in thought and Tien scowled.

"The great ape huh?... It's been years since I've seen it."

She was slightly surprised by that, but didn't pursue the matter. She closed her eyes again to see what was going on, and was thrown through yet another loop. In the few seconds she hadn't been watching, Gohan had closed with and started pounding on Buu, who hadn't yet reformed himself after Goku's attack. And then Gohan did the unthinkable, and began attacking Goku.

"No! What's he doing?!"

"What? What is it?!"

She was too stunned to form words. She watched as Gohan attacked his father, and then started destroying things at random. It didn't make any sense. A firm hand shook her shoulder, and she looked fearfully up at Piccolo. She tried to form words, but between her shock that Gohan would do such a thing, and fear that things were only going to get worse, she couldn't. King Kai answered for her, his voice considerably sharper than normal.

"He doesn't have control of it! He's gone completely berserk!"

Piccolo grimaced and removed his hand, and Videl watched his mind work in his expression.

"Dammit! I knew he wouldn't be able to do it. I ended up having to destroy the moon to stop him the last time I saw him like that."

"What?! You're serious?"

Piccolo glared at her, crossing his arms again.

"Why do you think his tail was removed every time it grew back? For the same reason that Goku, his kids, and Trunks had theirs removed. They can't control the transformation. It's too much of a risk!"

Fearing the worst, she clamped her eyes shut again and returned to the fight just in time to see Icarus attacking Gohan. His claws and teeth found flesh, and it looked painful. She winced as she saw Gohan howling in pain, but hoped that it would be enough for him to regain some conscious thought. But it was for naught. Icarus failed in his attempt to get through to him, and ended up in a crumpled mess on the ground.

_No! Gohan, what the hell?! You've got to be in there still! Come on, just use your fucking brain! This isn't you! You've got to… got to…_

_**He will cease to be Gohan as you know him, and his primal self will take over.**_

She felt herself freeze as she remembered the thing that Bardock had told her. That conversation replayed in her head.

_**The only thing that a Saiyan will stop everything for, is his mate. To him, nothing could be more important than the one who bears the mark. **_**His **_**mark.**_

_My mark… The bite on my neck…_

_**You are the key.**_

She felt her heart jump in her chest as she realized that Gohan had picked up his father, and was crushing him in his fist. Acting quickly, she squeezed harder on King Kai's shoulder.

"Quick, King Kai, let me talk to Gohan."

"Wha-"

"Just do it! Please, hurry!"

She felt a panic when Goku screamed in pain, and when she finally felt her mind brush against Gohan's, she gasped in shock. For the first time, she could _feel _what he was feeling, and there was no doubt it was coming from him. There was so much rage that she was at first frightened. There was no voice, no conscious thoughts, just rage. She hesitated at first, unable to fully grasp what it was she was feeling. He began to roar at Goku, at which point she shook her head and acted.

"GOHAN!"

Gohan merely squeezed harder on Goku, and she felt her anger burning brighter when the Saiyan reverted to his base form and started to fall unconscious.

"Gohan, I know you can hear me! Stop it!"

The great ape paused his squeezing, but didn't let go, instead looking about for the voice that had to have been ringing in his head. Unable to find it, he looked right back at Goku. Videl felt his urge to crush Goku through their bond.

"Dammit Gohan, stop and listen to me! That's your father you fucking moron! Look at him! That's your _dad_ you're squeezing the life out of! And you really hurt Icarus!"

The ape seemed to hesitate, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air above Goku's head. He growled deep in his chest and bared his teeth at the Saiyan clutched in his fist. It frustrated her to no end. Giant rampaging ape or not, there just _had _to be some sense of what he was doing going on in that brain.

"Stop that dammit! If you keep this up, you're going to kill them! You're going to kill _me_!"

That got the first true reaction from the demi, whos mind and body halted completely, growling and looking skyward, as if he could see her. She felt her heart skip a beat, but plowed on, knowing that she had his attention now.

"You remember who I am right? You know my voice, you know me."

The ape grunted a few times, sniffing the air about him and looking between Goku and the air around him.

"I'm Videl, Gohan. You're _mate_. Or did you forget already?"

It felt weird for her to use such a primitive word to describe them. But it was what occurred to her as being what he'd understand in his state. Her voice got less and less harsh now as her own fear and hurt began bleeding out of her. She heard her voice crack, and now it seemed that Gohan's feelings through the bond were reacting to her own.

"And if you don't _pull your head out of your ass_, I am going to die! Buu is right there… He's right behind you! Watching you try to kill your own father and Icarus, _laughing_. He's going to do the same thing to me. Do you want that?!"

She watched as the Great ape's eyes narrowed, and his lips curled back into a vicious looking snarl. He dropped his hands to his sides, one still clutching Goku in them, and turned his head about until his eyes were locked onto Buu. The pink creature propped itself up a bit higher, its delighted grin fading from its face as the demi's red eyes bored into him. A heavy growl started in Gohan's chest, and she could feel his rage beginning to burn hot again. For a moment she was fearful that her words had had the opposite effect on him. But the growl changed, and his jaw worked a few times, until a single word escaped his massive maw.

"**NO.**"

She was shocked by the voice itself, as monstrous and rough as it was, but she was even more shocked by the feeling she got from him as he said it. His anger and rage burned hotter than ever, but now it had focus. Instead of being just mindless rage, now it felt like it had some sort of purpose. If she was being honest, it was even scarier than before. But she brushed her thoughts aside and continued to speak to him, trying to get him under his own control.

"Then put. Him. Down. Drop him!"

She saw him take his eyes off of Buu, glancing down at his fist before releasing his grip on his father. The Saiyan fell from the clutches of his son and landed in a crumpled mess on the ground. She felt a deep seated fear that Gohan had really killed his own father this time, but events happening before her prevented her from lingering on it. Gohan was breathing faster and faster, his anger threatening to explode from him at any point. She seized her opportunity, steeling her nerves and forcing her voice out as strong as she could.

"Now go! Buu is your target, nothing else matters, you hear me?"

As she expected to happen, Gohan roared and beat his fists against his chest, then dropped his weight and shot forward to try and engage Buu. Satisfied that his wrath was finally directed somewhere useful, she squeezed King Kai's shoulder again, letting him know it was okay to cut the link. She opened her eyes, letting out a heavy sigh of relief, but then turned about to look for a certain pink Kai. She was slightly surprised to see him standing there alongside Piccolo, his stern expression focused on the ground at his feet like he was lost in thought, and his halo was now absent above his head.

"Kibito! You're alive?!"

He raised his eyes to meet hers, and simply nodded, like it was an unimportant factor. Realizing that she was getting sidetracked, she shook her head and started again.

"It's not good down there, Goku and Vegeta are hurt badly, and the only person I can think of who can help them quickly is Dende… I know I'm asking a lot here, but can you go get them? Take them to Dende?"

The pink Kai considered her for a moment, and she pleaded with him as best she could with only her eyes. She felt odd asking a literal god for help when she hadn't even considered the existence of one her whole life, but now was not the time for her to be leaving anything to chance. When Kibito did respond to her, he smirked.

"You forget that I am a Kai little girl. I have the ability to mend their bodies, though it will take some time."

She felt her face shift slightly into a smile and she felt some of the panic fade from her chest as his words reached her.

"Please do that? Goku doesn't look too good."

With that, she shut her eyes again, hearing Kibito pop out of existence once more. The images from the battle on earth re-entered her mind, and she watched in awe as Gohan fought Buu ferociously, like a wild beast.

***EARTH – GOHAN***

Gohan glared hard at Buu, gaining focus by the second as the voice penetrated his mind. She had asked him if he would let her die. He refused. Her voice held authority over him that he didn't understand. He wanted to protect her, he wanted to make sure she lived, even at the cost of his own body. So he listened, he tried to gain control over the immense power coursing through his veins. She told him to drop the little bug who had been annoying him. So he dropped it, watching as the Saiyan hit the ground and lay there motionless. His eyes turned back towards the pink creature, who was still just watching him from a distance. He felt it rising in him again, a burning hatred that he had to release. He had to kill that thing because it was threatening her. It was threatening her, and he couldn't allow it to succeed.

**"**_**Now go! Buu is your target, nothing else matters, you hear me?"**_

The command echoed in his head, and he agreed with it. Nothing else _did _matter. He had to kill it. He roared and launched himself at it, zipping over the ground at speeds that should have been impossible for a being his size. Buu began backpedaling rapidly before leaping in the air himself to escape the clutches of the raging Oozaru. But then the voice disappeared, and the calming feel of it disappeared. He felt panic clutch his heart, even as anger threatened to overwhelm him. But he had to focus, there was something he still had to do. Buu was still here, which meant that she was safe.

_I must… fight it… I must catch Buu!_

His attention sharpened, and his eyes quickly tracked Buu down. He looked up at the creature as it raised a single huge arm above its head. Gohan felt the ki beginning to gather in its hand and leaped up to intercept him. He swung his own massive arm overhead and growled with pleasure when he felt his palm hit Buu. The pink creature flattened like a pancake before the force of Gohan's hand seemed to finally catch up to him, and he flipped inside out. His body reformed just in time for him to hit the ground, splatting outwards like a giant blob of Gelatin. Parts of him slapped around forcefully and were shaken off of him by the sheer violence of the ripples vibrating through him as the ground exploded. But Gohan wasn't finished yet. He landed back on the ground, kicking up even more debris as he did. He dropped his weight and slammed his fists down onto the area where Buu's reeling form was centered.

The shockwave from the blow made Buu's scattered form flap around even harder, and more pieces of him flew away on the wind, torn apart by the sheer violence. Grabbing a hold of the largest part of Buu he could and crushing it with his fist, Gohan unleashed an enraged blast from his mouth and carved it through the earth around him in a wide ark. Anything caught in the light quickly vaporized, leaving a bright orange streak of scorched and melted earth in its wake. Gohan felt some form of satisfaction when he watched several of the separated chunks get obliterated, but felt rage when some of the larger ones kept moving. He flailed the the vast majority of Buu around, which was leaking outwards from his clenched fist, making a horrible boom each time he struck it against the ground in his fury.

He felt his hand starting to quiver and heat up where Buu was resisting, so he squeezed down harder. But then his fist started to shudder, and he looked at it to see that Buu was peeling his hand apart, breaking his grip rapidly as more and more pieces of him rejoined the main body. Buu compressed his body and shot more and more into Gohan's grip, and soon was way too big for Gohan to get an actual grip on. That was when he took his first real hit. Buu, who at his full size was only a quarter the size of the Oozaru, smacked away Gohan's arms and shot towards his exposed stomach. The force of the impact sent Gohan soaring backwards, with chunks of his enlarged armor chipping away and trailing his descent. He tumbled once before regaining his balance and landing on all fours, skidding to a halt once more. He raised his eyes with murder on his mind, and rushed forward even as Buu was charging at him. They met with an earth-shattering crash, and began tearing at each other with furious attacks. Gohan slammed down on the creature repeatedly, ripping pieces away with his sheer strength and keeping Buu scattered, while Buu snuck in and hit Gohan's exposed areas to devastating effect. Thankfully for Gohan, the creature wasn't going for his tail.

_I must… Kill him! For Videl! I've got to kill him to protect her!_

Sensations started coming to him as he fought that had been absent before. He began to feel things besides rage and pain. Dread, fear, and an intense desire to protect his family came to him gradually. Buu's attacks, the cuts and bruises, the chunks of flesh that came away with those vicious looking teeth, they all started reminding him; This was going to happen to Her if he couldn't kill Buu. He backhanded the creature as it zipped about him to go for his throat. Unleashing a roar, he followed up on the reeling creature by throwing both of his fists down on top of it, sending it bouncing off into the distance like a rock skipped on a pond. He landed and focused hard on the reeling creature, clenching his fists in anger with his tail whipping about behind him. He ignored the pain, he ignored the fear; all that mattered was that he win.

**"I'LL DESTROY YOU BUU!"**

***A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY***

Goku blinked a few times as things came back into focus. He couldn't explain it, but it definitely seemed like his aches and pains were rapidly disappearing, and a portion of his energy was flowing back into him. A deep growl from his stomach let him know that his body was definitely feeling better, and he sat upright quickly, taking in his surroundings. Kibito was kneeling by his side, looking a bit winded. He could hear the sounds of an immense battle taking place in the distance, with both Gohan's and Buu's ki fluctuating wildly. More than that, something felt wrong with the ground he was on, like it was unstable and ready to collapse completely. Parts of the sky were taking on a red hue, and Goku had a bad feeling that the planet wouldn't hold up much longer. He shot up to his feet, looking in the direction the roars and earth-shaking booms were coming from.

"Are you well enough to fight Saiyan?"

He didn't have time to question the Kai. His son was definitely fighting Buu, which was a good sign, but how good he didn't know. He nodded his head and pointed into the distance where he knew Vegeta was still lying unconscious.

"Vegeta's that way, think you can help him? I'm going to go help my son."

Kibito raised an eyebrow at him, standing to his full height and looking nervous.

"Are you sure that's wise? He nearly killed you just now, should you be going towards him?"

Goku understood his concern, and judging by how winded Kibito looked, healing him wasn't without its cost. But this was his _son._ No matter whether or not Gohan was conscious of his actions, or if he was completely out of his mind, he still needed his father's help. It was his eldest son who he had put so much on before. No amount of pain was above the worth of that boy, who had lived without him for too long already because of his arrogance. He had to help, no matter the cost.

"Yea, I'm going to go help him. Buu's still alive, and I'm not going to leave Gohan alone to do this like last time!"

Kibito seemed to hesitate before he simply responded with a nod. Goku began to draw on his ki to power up, testing the waters.

"Please help Vegeta out? And…"

He glanced to where Icarus was sprawled out, his limbs still twitching with the amount of pain he knew the dragon was in.

"Well, if it's not too much to ask, Icarus too? He's helped out more than he should have had to already."

He didn't wait long for a response, and when he got the simple nod once more he let his power out as much as it could go and was pleased to see he was capable of ascending at least. He threw his ki beneath him and set out as quickly as he could after Buu and his son. It wasn't hard, between the shaking of the Earth and air around him and the sight of dust and smoke being kicked skyward. He closed quickly, watching in awe as the two titans beat each other to a pulp. Then Gohan hit Buu particularly hard and roared with an immensely powerful voice that rattled Goku to his bones.

**"I'LL DESTROY YOU BUU!"**

_Whoa! Does that mean he's in control of himself now? For now he seems totally focused on Buu, but if he attacks me then that'll be an easy question answered. Okay, well, no point in sitting around and wondering. Let's do this!_

He circled once above, looking for a pause in Gohan's attacking and Buu's countering to actually get into the mix and hit Buu where it hurt. The shockwaves from their strikes threw him off balance, but he kept control of himself. He saw his opportunity as Gohan grabbed Buu in two separate places and ripped the pink creature in opposite directions, throwing the two large chunks at his feet and roaring to the sky again. He dodged the spittle flying up towards him, avoiding Gohan's eye as best he could and dropping rapidly to nearly point blank range of Buu as he reformed. Not wanting to give him any opportunity to recover, he drew ki into both of his hands and threw a rapid series of blasts to try and scatter the being further. The blasts hit their marks and exploded on contact, ripping holes and sending ripples through Buu's body. He'd have followed it up with a Kamehameha wave had it not been for the sudden buildup of ki above and behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see an intense golden blast tearing towards him and jumped away in panic.

_Dammit! I thought he was good now but…_

As he dodged away from the blast he watched its trail and saw it impact Buu dead-center, burning a massive hole through the creature and burrowing into the ground behind him. For a moment Goku was worried that the blast was going to detonate in the ground, cutting their planet, and their personal existence short. But then it re-emerged approximately a mile away and curved gracefully up into the sky where it disappeared into the distance. He turned back towards his son, and realized that the Oozaru was charging Buu again, seeming to not notice Goku at all. He decided to test his sudden theory and charged around the other way, getting behind Buu and plowing into the massive creature just as he reformed. The flesh of him folded around Goku's shoulder and upper body, but the bulk of him gave way and continued in the direction of his full body-check. Goku halted himself and watched as Gohan passed right by him, not giving him even a glance and following after Buu.

_He's not aiming for me, he just doesn't care that I'm there… Well that's better than nothing I guess._

He quickly made up his mind what he was going to do, watching Buu dart about and try to gain control of the fight. He had to do whatever he could to keep the pink creature from gaining a foothold, and keep Gohan fighting. The sheer amount of power his son was bringing to the fight would be what decided the outcome, and Goku knew it. So he hung in the air around his son, following the fight closely and stepping in to hit Buu with a blast or as powerful a strike as he could when the pink creature managed to slip through the cracks of Gohan's defenses. Buu was very obviously frustrated, judging by the amount of steam and irate yowls that the creature was letting out.

"You should be dead! Buu watched! You dead!"

Goku ducked underneath Gohan's arm as it came crashing down to meet Buu's face, satisfied that the creature was losing all of his previous momentum. He didn't respond, focusing instead on getting his next hit in and avoiding both Gohan and Buu. He felt Vegeta's ki spiking as he began coming about and hoped the Prince would have the strength to come to them and join. He had no real inkling of how far they were pushing Buu, but hoped that with all three of them back into the fight, they would be able to take him down once and for all. When he felt Vegeta heading towards them, powered up an impressive amount, he decided he should go and bring him up to speed, hoping Gohan could still hold his own for a few seconds. He unleashed a blast right into Buu's exposed face and let himself be carried backwards with the force of it, straight between Gohan's legs as the Oozaru was jumping to get some extra force behind his downward blow. Landing on the ground and kicking off immediately, he soon found himself nearly colliding with Vegeta, who had also ascended and was looking on in awe at the fierce fight happening below. Goku didn't give him time to say or do anything, pointing at Gohan and speaking quickly, the excitement in his voice ringing loud.

"Don't get in his way Vegeta, he may not be aiming for us, but he doesn't really care if we're in the line of fire."

Vegeta scoffed at him, clenching his fists angrily.

"What?! You have _got_ to be kidding me."

Goku let his frustration get the better of him and snapped at the prince, who he could feel was about to make some snide remark.

"We don't have time to talk about this Vegeta! We've got to keep our advantage while we have it!"

Whether or not the prince understood, Goku jumped back into the fray. He caught Buu as he was wrapping his arm around Gohan's outstretched leg, attempting to bind the limb so that he could have more freedom to move. The ki-infused kick he had wound up punched straight through the squishy pink flesh, which parted with a loud crack like a whip. Buu roared in pain, and his head shot in to intercept the Saiyan. Goku dodged just in time for the recently freed leg of Gohan to sail into view and slam down on the creature, squishing him into the dirt with a thundering boom. A blast from Vegeta followed the foot, lightning arcing from it and thoroughly roasting the large chunk of flesh that had been Buu's arm moments before. The intense roar of battle shattered the air, and Goku fought to keep his head from spinning with the amount of power focused in that one spot. He felt the thrill of the fight once more, his adrenaline and instincts driving him into a rarely felt blood-lust. All three of the Saiyans fought furiously, with Gohan providing the overwhelming majority of the power and force, while the other two took every advantage to strike the creature.

"I. NOT. DIE!"

They were gaining ground quickly. Goku struck with a rapid series of kicks that distorted Buu and kept him from effectively fighting back. Vegeta destroyed tendrils that sought him with a lightning fast burst of ki. Gohan continued his rampage, continually smashing down every piece of pink flesh he could like a disgusting version of whack-a-mole. Every second they used brought more and more of Buu down, and burnt through enormous amounts of their own strength. Each time they got one of their little victories, they could feel themselves getting slower and more tired. Goku breathed heavily and backpedaled out of the way as Gohan chucked an enormous rock at Buu with a heavy grunt. Vegeta dodged out of the way and let forth a big bang attack that detonated the rock and incinerated the ground beneath it, with Buu caught right in the thick of it. All three of them were panting heavily, and Goku was feeling a bit faint. He'd forgotten how unforgiving a living body was to the person in it when given such abuse. He wiped his brow and glanced towards his son, who was hunched over and glaring at Buu with clenched fists. His tail whipped about behind him, creating a sharp draft in the air and cooling Goku's skin.

"We can't hold up much longer. We've got to finish him… But is it enough?"

His eyes returned to where Buu was reforming, and he felt Gohan settle down into a lower stance, ready to pounce. He looked towards Vegeta, who was likewise watching Buu and catching his breath.

_If he's scattered again, we may miss something... no, we have to make sure._

"Vegeta! This is it, all or nothing! Let's let him pull himself together and then go all out."

Surprisingly the first to respond wasn't Vegeta, but Gohan. It wasn't actual words, but the Oozaru grunted and seemed to settle himself a bit, still staring at Buu without moving. Vegeta took a deep breath and scowled, nodding his consent without taking his eyes off of Buu. The pink creature meanwhile, shot into the sky opposite them, leaking steam from all vents, and barely discernable as being the same creature from before.

He was barely half the size of the original Buu who had spit out part of himself, and appeared to be struggling to keep what was left together. The pink flesh looked ragged and torn, and some even seemed to be flaking of and disintegrating in the wind. The ki coming from him was still incredible, but it wasn't impossibly enormous any more. They had really damaged the creature, and Buu knew he was at the end of his line. Those ivory fangs were bared at them, and the black, soulless pits darted between the three of them. Steam constantly poured from all of the holes in his body, both of his design and from being damaged. He appeared to struggle with words for a moment, but gave up and merely screamed at them. The guttural roar echoed, and Buu began gathering an incredible amount of ki in his outstretched palms that he put over his head. Gohan shifted in anticipation and Goku darted upwards to come to a rest just out of arms reach of the Oozaru. He quickly thought about the situation, gathering what he knew and putting together a quick conclusion and rolling the dice with a huge gamble.

"Gohan, listen to me. Wait just a few more seconds. Just a few seconds. When his attack is ready, just let it all out. Use your power, you can destroy him!"

He looked past his son, who gave no sign that he had even heard him, and saw Vegeta rising to his level as well, with lightning dancing across his skin and his golden hair waving in the wind. He had to trust that Gohan was going to work with them. If they succeeded, and Gohan's target was no longer there, he didn't know what the Demi would do afterwards. But that was something they would consider later. For now, it was their only option. He was sure none of them couldn' destroy Buu separately, even as damaged as he was. Hell, he wasn't even sure that all three of their combined strength would be enough to eradicate Buu entirely. But if Buu's own blast were to be used against him…

Vegeta seemed to understand what was being said without being said and began gathering his ki. Goku did the same, sinking back into a wide stance mid-air and placing his palms at his side. He furrowed his brow and listened to Gohan's breathing becoming shorter and shorter as his anticipation was growing. Goku could feel the power building inside his son, like a volcano threatening to explode. Buu's blast suddenly expanded from a pinprick of light into a huge orb of swirling pink ki that hummed in the air and cast the world in a disturbing pink glow. A pang of fear gripped him, but he swallowed it and gritted his teeth.

"Not yet…"

Gohan grunted and then roared, letting the whole world know he wanted to unleash his fury. Vegeta's ki was skyrocketing. His hands were together in front of him, and veins were pulsing in all of his exposed skin as the enormity of his power was being forced into submission. Goku was doing likewise, shoving everything he had into his palms, where a bright blue glow was peeking into his vision.

"Not yet…"

Buu roared, the earth beginning to pull apart beneath him as the force of his ki shredded everything around him. The pink mass of ki began to drift backwards as he wound up to throw it, the black pits of his eyes disappearing as the whole front of his body was cast in shadows. Goku tensed, fighting to control the power between his palms, waiting for the perfect shot. Gohan slammed his fists into his chest, growling loudly. The roar of the world around them faded as Goku saw the alignment he was looking for. The pink sun fully eclipsed Buu as he arched backwards in his wind-up, fully shrouding himself in the bright glow of his monstrous blast. Goku felt his chest heave as he yelled out the words, he felt the air pass his throat, and he felt his arms move as if on their own. But he'd gone quite numb in all of his senses, like he'd drifted into a dream gone wrong. It all seemed so slow and quiet, though he knew it was all happening explosively in the blink of an eye.

His arms thrust forward, the painfully bright blue of his Kamehameha wave filled his vision, blotting out the pink before him and pushing back against his hands with incredible force. Vegeta's arms bent and nearly buckled with the amount of power he unleashed, and he drifted backwards as the blast kicked back. Gohan slammed his foot down, roaring and splitting the air in two with an even brighter white beam of light that streaked in between the others. Their three blasts were hot enough that Goku felt the burn on his exposed skin, and even in his numbed state he felt the instinctual urge to quit and hide from the pain. But he couldn't turn his eyes from Buu, who seemed frozen in place as the three blasts came streaking at him.

All at once, the roar of the battle, the intense wind and heat, it all came rushing back at Goku, who screamed and shut his eyes in pain and determination. He pushed harder on the blast. His was the first to hit, and he opened his eyes to see Buu take it straight to the gut. He couldn't make out how much damage it did though, because Vegeta's followed right behind it, overlapping and blending with it. The focused light and power made it feel like looking into a star with how bright it was. Then Gohan's hit, and Goku completely lost sight of Buu. The enormous white beam swallowed the other two, completely enveloping Buu and disappearing into the surface of the enormous pink blast behind him. Goku couldn't make anything out over the gale force winds and pounding against his eardrums that was their battle. But he could see they were forcing the blast back, with Buu on it he hoped. He gritted his teeth and held onto his rapidly waning power as tight as he could. The giant pink blast was falling further and further away, rising as the curve of the Earth fell away from it.

"Al-most… there!"

He knew they could take no chances. They had to destroy Buu now, this was their final opportunity to end it all. He gathered up the remainder of his strength, fighting the intense urge to let go and rest.

"NOW! PUUUUUUSH!"

He dumped everything he had left into his Kamehameha, sending a pulse of energy that abruptly cut the power coming from his hand, following the rest of the wave like the tail end of a train derailed. Vegeta's blast behaved similarly, cutting off abruptly and following itself with a bulbous tail. Gohan's just expanded, cutting off a few seconds later along with his roar. The three of them were left panting and watching the pink ball in the sky. Goku fought to keep himself upright and felt with all his might for any sign of Buu. His ki was still there in the distance, and then the final burst from their blasts struck.

A flash of light was first, completely consuming the pink blast in a bright white star that filled the sky above them. Goku watched in fascination as any clouds left in the sky dissipated to nothing as the shockwave rolled through the very upper layers of the atmosphere. He glanced down to see the same shockwave throwing rocks and dust and vegetation outwards as it passed over the rippling ground. It was an incredible sight, but he was forcefully reminded that they didn't want to be there when he saw the remains of huge cityscapes being thrown in their direction like nothing more than children's toys. He threw himself at Gohan, just trying to get a hold of him while gathering any strength he could to do an instant transmission. But it was no use.

"Dammit!"

From Gohan's other side, he could hear Vegeta curse loudly. Panic engulfed him even more as Gohan rapidly turned and grabbed him, much like he had before, pinning his legs and arms at his sides. He struggled for a moment before realizing that Gohan had gotten Vegeta too. He held them both at eye level, his chops being pulled up to reveal those vicious teeth once more. Goku's earlier suspicion about Gohan's state of mind with no real focus appeared to be correct. He roared and began squeezing, showing no sign that he was still in control of himself, right until the shockwave hit them. Gohan's roar changed from rage to pain rapidly as the blast of air whipped him around, and he was struck in the side by a huge chunk of building and several trees. The force of the impact threw him sideways, and ironically it was Gohan's attacking them that ultimately saved Goku's and Vegeta's lives. Several large chunks of debris that would have killed them hit his calloused knuckles and shattered on contact. They felt the force of the blows, and Goku felt several bones in his body break from the impact, but the pain let him know he was still alive. He fought against it as long as he could, trying to make sense of the world spinning around him with dust and debris.

Somewhere along the way his hearing disappeared. The pain was threatening to shut his body down. He smelled and tasted the metallic flavor of blood. He couldn't get a proper breath. He cracked his eyes just in time to see the three of them descending rapidly towards the ground. The rock came up to meet them, and Goku did his best to prepare for it. Then Gohan was the first to hit, landing back first. His arms were flailed outwards with the impact, and Goku was sent flying. He felt his body go weightless, and he didn't have the strength or energy left to try and control his fall. His vision turned towards the burning sky and then everything simply turned off, and Goku was thrust into unconsciousness.

***WORLD OF THE KAIS***

"Oh my… that was…"

Shin and his elder version sat, staring in awe at what they had just witnessed through the old Kai's crystal ball. Shin was visibly shaken, having been able to feel the enormity of the blast even from the Kai's world. He knew of the strength of the Saiyans, he'd seen it all first hand. He knew of the monstrous power that they possessed when transformed as the Oozaru. But never had he ever dreamed that he would be able to _feel _energy from the realm of the living there in otherworld. He knew it to be impossible, but yet he had just witnessed it firsthand. It was unheard of, and completely insane. The old Kai was simply too lost to make a sound, staring at the ball as the white blast of the explosion began to fade away. Several seconds passed and they were still just sitting there. Then the old kai turned on his younger self and stammered.

"Yo-you d-didn't tell me that they were… No power like this should exist in anyone but a god of destruction! I was in his mind and messing with it, and even I did not believe these mortals could be so… so…"

Shin nodded in awe, his eyes still glued to the ball.

"Incredible…"

***NEW NAMEK***

Bulma stared up at the green sky that was so familiar to her. She remembered that the last time she had seen it was right after Gohan had left her aboard her father's ship with a wounded Piccolo over a decade ago.

_Okay well, it wasn't _this_ particular sky, but it's almost a perfect copy of it._

New Namek was a carbon copy of the old one, and many of the old faces she had come to know during the Namekian's stay on Earth were there, watching over the few Earthlings who had made it off-world. But instead of speaking to them she was sitting in solitude, running everything over in her mind. She kept reviewing the facts, wondering if there was something she had missed, something she could have done to give them a chance. She was trying to keep her fear and anguish down but was struggling at that. She honestly had no clue what was happening, and neither did any of the others. All they could do was wait and speculate what was happening on Earth.

She assumed that whatever was happening, her husband was involved, which gave her more cause for worry than normal. He'd died, come back to life, and was risking his life again before she'd even gotten to see him. She glanced over to where her son was, sitting across from Goten and Ria, no doubt shadow sparring like Krillin and Gohan had done on the way to Namek the first time. She pursed her lips and rubbed her brow in frustration, fighting against the migraine she could feel coming.

_**"Hey you guys! Bulma, are you there?!"**_

Bulma started and shot up, completely taken by surprise at the voice. She felt her jaw slack at the familiar situation.

_Talk about Déjà vu…_

"Yamcha?..."

The voice got a lot of people's attention, including many of the surrounding Namekians, who looked about for the source of the voice. She almost laughed at how ridiculous it was to be going through this yet again.

_**"Yea, it's me Bulma."**_

"Wait, let me guess… you're on King Kai's planet again? And you're going to give us good news and bad news…"

_**"Huh… You take the fun out of it. No, mostly good news this time. It's kinda hard to tell at the moment what's going on with Goku and the others, but King Kai just spoke with Shin and some old dude, and they're all confirmed that Buu has been dealt with! The guys did it, they defeated Buu!"**_

A cheer broke out at that, Namekians and Earthlings embraced each other with joy. Ria, Goten, and Trunks all held hands and began jumping up and down in excitement. And over all a collective sigh of relief rose from the whole crowd. Bulma felt the tears welling in her eyes and she blinked them away, putting her hands on her hips and feeling several tons of stress fall from her heart.

"Good… Dare I ask though, how bad did the planet suffer?"

There was a pause at that, and Yamcha's voice came back a little bit shakier than before.

_**"It got really bad down there. Between those four power-houses, I think they actually managed to completely shatter the Earth. The only reason it's still hanging in the sky is because its own gravity is keeping the chunks together."**_

She tried to comprehend exactly what he meant, but no matter how she thought about it, it didn't make any sense. It didn't seem possible for them to completely destroy a planet by fighting and _not _trying to destroy it, only to have it still be there, held together by nothing but gravity. They were definitely going to need a wish for that one, and then she was going to avoid thinking about it.

"Okay, so what's our next step?"

_**"Actually, that's what we've been talking about. Piccolo had most of the ideas, and I think Gohan and Krillin talked about it a bit as well."**_

At the mention of his name, Krillin stood up straight, still holding his daughter and looking skyward with a nod.

"Yea, we briefly touched on it. We figured that once we got Earth fixed and all the people revived, we should try to get the event removed from their minds."

_**"Yea, Piccolo more or less said the same thing. But how do you take a couple weeks' worth of memories out without totally messing up someone's mind? That's a lot of memories."**_

Bulma rubbed at her chin, considering the situation. Their conversation was interrupted however by Moori, the elder of the Namekians. He held up his hands to get their attention and let his deep voice ring.

"There is one thing I wonder, young Earthlings… Is your dragon capable of what you suggest? I do not mean to imply that it is a weak dragon, but even Porunga would struggle with such a large task."

For his answer, he looked towards the current guardian of Earth, who seemed deep in thought at the question.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure. Restoring multiple lives per wish yes, altering memories, most certainly. I would imagine that he could even restore the Earth. But I do not know if he can do all at one time. And besides that, he is only capable of two wishes per summoning."

Moori nodded, looking thoughtfully at the ground. A few seconds passed and nobody said a word, then the wizened old Namekian gave them a sly smile, like an amusing thought had just occurred to him. He whistled, looking over his shoulder at the gathered Namekians and giving them a peculiar hand signal. They all bowed quickly and turned about, heading in several different directions. Bulma and Krillin looked at each other in confusion, and even Dende seemed puzzled. He stared at Moori and scratched at his head.

"Ummm… Elder, what do you have in mind?"

"I think… That it is time to do something that has never been done before."

Dende blanched, and some of the others seemed to get quite nervous at the devious look on Moori's face.

"Dende, you above anyone else should know how much we Namekians owe to Mrs. Bulma and her friends. We have yet to repay the Earth our debt of gratitude."

He paused as a couple of the Namekians who had scattered returned, carrying with them each a massive orange ball with a different number of stars in them. Moori took them in turn and placed them close to each other at his feet.

"We will help by lending the power of Porunga to your Shenron. With the combined might of both the dragons, no task should be too large."

That caused a stir of excitement throughout the crowd who knew what was going on, and a murmur of confusion from the overwhelming majority of the Earthlings there. Bulma looked between the two guardians and tried to imagine it. Her face broke into a grin and she bounced in excitement.

_Oh this is going to be good!_

It didn't take long for all of the dragon balls to be collected, and Dende opened the capsule containing the Earth's. The people of Earth and Namek watched as first Dende summoned Shenron. The sky darkened rapidly and a bright flash of lightning arced between them. It rose into the sky and took the long and slender form of the Earth's dragon. Mere seconds after Shenron was out of the dragon-balls and well before he could speak, Moori summoned Porunga. The light show was just as spectacular the second time, and left the already-awe struck Earthlings gaping at the sky. Shenron was big, there was no doubt, but Porunga hung in the air several times larger than the Earth's dragon. Compared to the massive hulking form of Porunga, Shenron might as well have been a garden snake.

For a while the two eternal dragons just sat there, looking at each other from their respective heights. Bulma tried to guess what they had to have been thinking, considering neither had seen another dragon before. The Namekian dragon was the first to speak, and did so using the native tongue of its creators. His powerful voice echoed down upon them, and she was surprised to see a look on the larger dragon's face that resembled irritation and disappointment. Shenron responded in kind, wriggling in discomfort and looking surprisingly timid. It was the first time she'd ever seen a dragon show any type of emotion besides open discontent at being disturbed. She'd never believed that they were capable of fear or sheepishness, but there it was before her. She wished she could understand what was being said. But before either of the dragons could continue their conversations, both of the guardians reigned them in, speaking in Namekian. Shenron refocused on Dende, returning to the common tongue.

**"What is it? Speak your two wishes and I shall grant them."**

"Actually Shenron, first you need to tell us if you're capable of restoring the Earth and it's people, and altering their memory. Things are a mess there right now."

The dragon paused, his glowing red eyes brightening a bit.

**"The Earth I can repair, but the people would be difficult. Should you choose to be selective about who to restore, I may not be able to complete the task."**

Dende and Bulma shared a nod and looked back towards the Dragon, and Bulma asked further.

"And what if you and Porunga combined your powers?"

Shenron growled deep in his throat and turned his head in the direction of the larger dragon, who appeared to be watching on in amusement.

**"That is for the Namekian dragon to decide."**

Bulma and the others all looked towards Porunga. Moori yelled out something else in Namekian, and Porunga stared at him. A few moments passed and Porunga spoke in the common tongue.

_**"So be it. We shall combine our power, and when the task is done, your dragon balls shall be returned to your own planet."**_

Bulma could have cheered, but kept it all in check. Dende beamed up at her and returned his attention to his dragon once more.

"So how many wishes do-"

**"We will tell you when we cannot do any more. This… Situation is unique, and we do not know how many you will be able to use."**

"Okay! Shenron, Porunga! First, we wish that the Earth was restored to how it was prior to the world martial arts tournament!"

Both dragons growled, their eyes glowed brighter and brighter, and then both responded. Their voices in unison created a strange chorus of deep bass and powerful vibrations in the air.

**"It is done. State your next wish."**

"Great! Next, please bring back to life all of the Earthlings who were killed by Babidi and his creations. And please put them back on Earth!"

The two dragons groaned and looked at each other. Their eyes glowed once more, and for several minutes they weren't sure if anything was actually happening. When they finally moved again, Shenron shook his head and glared down at them.

**"It is done. State your next wish"**

Bulma and Krillin looked at one another for confirmation before they stepped in. Dende watched them, keeping politely quiet.

"Shenron, can you make it so that Buu is gone from memory? Can you get people to forget that it happened?"

Shenron hesitated there, and his eyes glowed again. Porunga's lit up as well, and they waited patiently for the response.

**"To an extent. I cannot completely remove Buu's presence from their memory. I can only diminish his presence at the front of people's minds."**

Krillin stepped in there, poised to ask a whole slew of questions, but Porunga cut him off.

_**"To completely erase Buu from every Earthling's mind would require the alteration of time itself, which we cannot. The best we dragons can do is make it seem insignificant to the point that it's negligible. Your people easily let Cell fall to the wayside on their own. Buu will be no different."**_

Bulma huffed and placed her hands on her hips, looking between the dragons with disappointment.

"Isn't there anything that can be done to make it happen now? A lot of people were eaten, and many more did horrible things to their fellow man out of desperation! I can't imagine that it will be easy to live with. Can't you two… I dunno… make them think it was a dream?"

Shenron grumbled under his breath, looking directly at Bulma, who felt incredibly insignificant under his glare.

**"Very well, I will try."**

Moments passed, with both dragons' eyes glowing and their chests rumbling. Bulma waited to see if perhaps even her own memory would change, but the details of it all were still there. Eventually, both dragons grunted in unison and returned their eyes to the gathered crowd.

**"It is done. Most of the Earthling's memories have been altered. They still know that Buu was there, but most don't care that he was. Those of you with greater involvement were unaltered. The rest…?"**

His head dipped towards the group of Earthlings behind them, and Bulma turned about to look at them. The vast majority of them looked dazed and a bit faint. Their eyes were unfocused and a couple collapsed to a seated position. Of all of them, the only people who seemed unfazed were the remaining members of the Z-gang, who were all looking about at the others curiously. She worriedly watched a couple of them.

"Are they going to be okay? They look kinda odd now…"

She trailed off, and Porunga's voice rumbled in a slow chuckle.

_**"Their minds have just been altered. They will be confused for a while, but will return to normal in time."**_

**"We have one wish left for you to give. State it, and our business will be complete."**

Bulma and the others exchanged a look, silently questioning if there was anything else that needed to be done. When nobody brought forth any ideas, she shrugged and looked at Dende.

"Well, I think that all that is left is for us to return home. After all, with the rest of the world back in place, the only ones left out is us here."

She chuckled and Dende nodded. Moori and the other Namekians shouted their farewells and shared quick embraces with those that they knew, and within seconds, Dende was getting them sent back, along with their dragon balls.

"Shenron, send all of the Earthlings back home!"

A jolt shot through Bulma as she suddenly remembered something. Sure, everyone on King Kai's planet had just been revived and brought back to Earth. But Videl wasn't dead, which meant she wasn't included in that wish, which meant she was still there.

"And don't forget Videl Satan!"

The two dragons looked towards each other one more time.

**"Very well. This concludes our business. Fare well."**

Shenron's entire length flashed white and shot off into the sky, rapidly followed by the earth's dragon balls. Bulma and the other humans watched in fascination before they were swallowed into the void, and Namek disappeared. When their senses returned to them, they had appeared right in the middle of West City square, which was bustling and active once more. Bulma breathed a happy sigh of relief and turned on the spot, ignoring the confused stares and shocked gasps coming from the people who witnessed a huge group simply materializing in front of them. It was all how she remembered from before. The blue sky with white clouds. The many different faces and loud noises. The familiar smells. It was just as it should have been. She was back home, and home was back to normal.

**A/N: I know, I know... I didn't tell you if Buu was _actually _dead, I didn't say what happened with the Saiyans, or Kibito, or anyone besides those on Namek. I jumped straight to the Dragon balls and a rather awkward situation between the dragons without any closure on the in-between. I told you at the start didn't I? Don't worry, it'll all be there in the next chapter, I promise. But onto the thing that I'm sure is either a curiosity for most of you, or for our GT fans out there; a serious oversight on a perfectly good opportunity.**

**About the whole SSJ4 thing... I know I made it look like that's where I was going, and I know most of you were thinking it. Hell I thought about it too. But see, there's one very good reason that I didn't use SSJ4 Gohan, and it's really quite simple... I don't like SSJ4. Yes, I know, GT fans everywhere will pick up their torches and pitchforks and come chasing after me screaming bloody murder like some weird cult (Please tell me that's not a thing). For GT, it was cool, and possibly the only good thing that ever came out of that particular series****, but I don't like it. Let me explain why. The way Goku got to SSJ4 was... well... stupid. Becoming a golden great ape I understand. His hair is blonde when transformed, so it only makes sense for his hair as a SSJ Oozaru to be gold as well. But by simply gaining control of his mind (Which I might remind you would not be as simple as how Pan did it in the show), he becomes even _more_ powerful than a SSJ great ape in terms of raw power...? no, that's dumb. Not to mention that by using this method, it pretty much gives every Saiyan who ever used their Oozaru form to take down a planet the ability to go SSJ4, provided they are a super Saiyan and have a tail. Think about it this way; Raditz is somehow alive and has a tail still. He finally finds a way to become a SSJ. Full moon + Super Saiyan Raditz that _already _can control his Oozaru form = automatic too OP plz nerf SSJ4 Raditz with hair that literally hangs below his feet (seriously wtf is with his hair?). The concept for SSJ4 was cool, and certainly looked bad ass, but I didn't like how it was brought into the show. Also, I know this is a fic (A.K.A Non-canon), but SSJ4 isn't considered canon anymore, and I'm choosing to stick with canon in that regard. SO, no SSJ4 for my story. Just a fully unlocked, already ridiculously OP Oozaru Gohan. And if you think that great ape Gohan isn't OP, I'd like to respectfully point out that he's already way overpowered as a normal Saiyan hybrid. All of the Saiyans on Earth are, but that's because circumstance forced them to be in order to win. Gohan unlocked is as powerful as SSJ3 Gohan without the crippling energy loss to maintain it. Even at half power, when he transforms into an Oozaru with potential unleashed, that multiplies his power by roughly X10. Put it into perspective, that's 5X his max power level in humanoid form. I don't know why the Oozaru transformation was left behind. It's insanely powerful, and adds a way more chaotic side to the fights. They don't give speeches or stall for time or any of the things that DBZ fights get flak for. They just destroy things because FUCK YOU AND YOUR THINGS! *ahem*...**

**On the note of Gogeta in the last chapter, I had someone basically comment that he was way under powered. I'd like to counter that argument with what I wast thinking at the time, and why I was thinking it. Gogeta was _vastly_ more powerful than Gohan (I even stated it outright). In all regards, he had an advantage over both Gohan and Buu in that department. And while I understand the logic why he would have destroyed Buu easily, he had to be able to hit him first. The whole point of that version of Buu was that he was faster, more agile, denser (think massive Buu compressed into a chi-chi sized person), and capable of basic rational thought. And if there's one thing that _anyone _who has seen actual fighting that isn't staged knows, there's always something that will go wrong mid fight. Gogeta not hitting Buu is a thing that went wrong for the Saiyans, just like Buu getting staggered by Gohan and then getting hit by normal Goku and Vegeta was Buu's thing that went wrong. Get what I mean? I hate that in the show it was all power level based (he with the most power wins). There's no luck, not combat dynamics, no complex strategy. So just because Gogeta _is _vastly superior to Gohan and Buu in power, does not mean that he is more effective in a particular situation. Using a modern Main Battle Tank to fight off 100 infantry surrounding you is going to take a lot longer and a lot more effort than a couple guys with a machine gun in a good position.**

**Anyways... Next time, for our final chapter: We wrap up this fic with what I hope is a satisfactory closing and (maybe) a prologue. And afterwards, I'm thinking about going back through and individually "Remastering" the earlier chapters. I have some things that I wish I had added in, some things that I want to edit slightly, and a metric shitload of grammar and spelling goofs to correct. There's even an entire chapter during the OSH saga that I wrote and skipped, deeming it unnecessary and purely fluff (not of the romantic sort mind you). You guys let me know if you think that it's a good idea to go back through and edit the story on such a scale. I'll probably go back through and fix errors in wording and spelling anyways, but i'll hold back for now on any major editing. I hope you guys enjoyed it, and i'll be back soon with the finale!**


	40. Life Goes On

**Alllrighty its now *pauses to look at the calendar* WAAAAAY later than I originally intended to put this up... I don't have to tell anyone who has been waiting for me to put the wrap on this one that I lied when I said I would have it up soon. I apologize to everyone who I made wait for it, but you know how life goes sometimes. Sometimes you get out of the military, or you find out you're having a baby, move all your worldly possessions across a country, you know, those annoyingly time-consuming things. Well, I can say it's all over now, I've settled down with my wife, and I finally got time to finish this story. Now, I will state up-front, I LEFT THE ENDING OPEN. While I gave it a conclusion, I finished with the sappy feel-good scene, just like any anime/book/show/movie whatever you watch or read, there's a lot more that happens after the adventure. I'm sure some of you will ask why, and I will simply say that it's for your interpretation, and if you wish to continue where I left off, then by all means, do so! If you do, then please, just let me know via PM, as I would very much like to read it! Alternatively, I am open to requests to write (within reason of course). So, without further delaying this chapter that has been waiting very patiently for me to get my life together, please R&amp;R, and enjoy! It's been a wild ride, and I want to thank all of you for sticking with me through all of it.**

**Chapter 40: Life Goes On**

Silence. Black silence. I was like being deep in the ocean. And just like swimming, faint noises and voices rang in his ears, fading in and out of focus.

"-what he w-…- lucky I got to-….."

"-nestly didn't think he'd go-….."

"-e's dangerous like that. There's work still to do."

Gohan stirred with the sound of familiar voices slowly fading into focus through the ringing in his head. He clenched his eyes shut and groaned as a pounding headache ripped into his mind.

"Ah, I think he's waking up now."

"It's about damn time! The brat's going to get an earful of-"

"Cut it out Vegeta! Geesh, it's not like he meant to attack us…"

Gohan rolled to his side and slowly opened his eyes, finding himself back on the planet of the Kais. He blinked a few times as everything came into focus. He pushed himself up to a seated position, shaking his head to regain full focus. He was now wearing a fairly good replica of his old gi, the heavy blue material hanging on his frame. The only thing missing was his red under-shirt, leaving his upper chest and arms bare. The scabbard for the Z-sword was definitely not there anymore, and he was sure that was due to his transformation into an Oozaru. As soon as the thought hit him he realized he had no clue what was going on at the moment, or what had happened. Everything prior to him waking up was a blur. He felt his heart jump into his throat and he suddenly got to his feet, only to get caught by his father, who pushed him back down with a firm hand on his shoulder. Gohan looked at him with panicked eyes, and Goku just smiled reassuringly at him.

"Whoa Gohan, take it easy!"

Behind his father's back, Gohan noticed that their company included very few. Just the three greater Kais from before, his father, and Vegeta. The last of those appeared to be highly irritable and was giving Gohan his best glare, but the demi ignored him. He had bigger things to worry about at that moment, and he couldn't believe the rest of them seemed so calm.

"What about Buu?! What happened? I can't remember!"

Vegeta scoffed and pointed an accusatory finger at him.

"Well that would be because your giant ape ass lost all control after I created the artificial moon! Here I thought that you'd spent all of that time training to get it in your power and-"

Gohan growled and interrupted him with a barking shout.

"Can it Vegeta! What the hell happened?"

The two of them glared daggers at each other, and Goku looked between the two of them with a curious expression. The Elder Kai stepped in at that moment to answer the question, breaking the tension in the air.

"As best as we can tell, you three destroyed Buu."

Gohan paused at that, releasing the Prince from his gaze and settling it on the old Kai. He wanted to be relieved, but something about how he said it left him with no small level of discomfort. But he stopped trying to resist his father, who groaned and settled himself into a seating position next to him, obviously sore. He passively noted that both him and Vegeta looked worn and beat, though it appeared no major damage remained. Additionally, the both of them also appeared to be wearing fresh fighting clothes, with Goku in his usual orange and Vegeta in his deep blue skin-suit.

"What do you mean as best as you can tell? Did we destroy him or not?"

Vegeta was the one who responded, still clearly annoyed with the young demi.

"He means that they can't find a trace of him. We caught him in-between our combined blasts and one of his own, and the resulting explosion obliterated both him, and most of the Earth."

Gohan tried to recall any of that, but only remembered urges and flashes of light and shadow. Nothing coherent, and hearing it from someone else left a cold chill running down his spine.

"Wait, how did we get out then?"

"Well, ironically it was you who kept us alive long enough for pinky to get us and get the hell out of there. Had you not decided you wanted to crush us together like a child's play thing, we would have been destroyed by the explosion. As it was, you took most of the punishment. You're lucky that these so called gods fear you, because they mended all three of us to a bearable condition."

He nodded, understanding that their survival had no small amount of luck involved, and was slightly amused by Vegeta's latter point. He didn't let it show however, and his mind quickly went back to the Earth itself.

"So then the Earth…"

The prince crossed his arms and huffed, looking towards the Old Kai.

"Apparently the woman already used the dragon balls to bring the Earth and its pathetic people back. We've been sitting here for an hour waiting for you to wake up. Kakarot could have taken us back already, but for some reason he's elected to sit around and grin like an idiot!"

They both looked at Goku, who was indeed sitting there with a broad grin on his face, scratching at the back of his head. Gohan crossed his legs and leaned onto his knees with his elbows, trying to make sense of everything with his brow furrowed.

"Why though?"

Goku seemed to sober up a bit, though his smile remained in place.

"We've still got some terms to work out, me and Shin! It's about the Saiyans in hell. See, we worked out a deal that I've been trying to get for a few years now, and now that Buu is taken care of… Well."

He paused and looked expectantly at Shin. Vegeta and Gohan both looked at the Kai curiously. Shin sighed and clasped his hands behind his back.

"Kibito told me that the Saiyans were almost done gathering everyone up. I will work out the arrangements, with our venerable elder's assistance of course…"

He trailed off nervously, casting a sideways glance at the old Kai, who jolted in shock and looked between the Saiyans and the Kai's rapidly.

"Wha?! What deal have you brokered behind my back you little worm!?"

Shin held his arms up defensively, and Kibito nervously wiped sweat from his brow, looking exhausted.

"N-Nothing major oh wise one! Just a simple matter of repayment for Goku's assistance over the years is all!"

Gohan shook his head and glared at Shin. He didn't want to kill the Kai nearly as bad as he had before, but that smoldering pile of ashes was getting fanned back into a flame a bit more as the conversation continued.

"As long as you don't go back on _our _deal Shin…"

He let the threat hang in the air, and both Shin and Kibito swallowed nervously. The Elder Kai was fuming now, sputtering between pursed lips, his shoulders hunched and fists clenched.

"_More deals?!_ Just how many _deals_ have you made?! What are you, a demon or a Kai?"

Vegeta groaned and rolled his eyes, electing to take a seat and glare irritably at the Kais as well.

"Can we cut the drama now? Get on with it!"

Shin wiped his brow and began again.

"Okay, okay, just calm down everyone and I'll explain! You already know that I was the one who had Goku brought to the Grand Kai's world after his death, convincing his friends that he would be unable to return."

Gohan and the Elder Kai huffed and glared at Shin, while the other two Saiyans simply watched him.

"It was underhanded and foolish, but we felt it was the best option at the time, leaving no alternatives but what we needed. In payment-"

He looked towards the glowering demi.

"- we have already granted Goku his life back, as well as Vegeta's and yours when your respective times came. Additionally, Goku and I agreed that we would resurrect the Saiyan Race for his services."

"What?!"

That took Gohan and Vegeta completely by surprise, and the Elder Kai looked like he was about to faint. The old man started breathing heavy and fell back onto his rear, his expression one of awe-struck fear. Vegeta was the first to recover.

"Is that even possible? How many Saiyans are returning?"

Shin sighed and shook his head, not looking at the prince.

"According to your father's estimate, a little less than ten thousand total. The overwhelming majority of the Saiyan race arrived in hell and did not manage to keep their bodies and souls intact."

Vegeta gaped at him, his eyes darting about as he added up the numbers in his head.

"The Saiyan race was millions strong at the time of Frieza's betrayal. That leaves more than ninety percent of them unaccounted for! What of them?"

Kibito answered there.

"For those that had their bodies destroyed and their souls scattered in hell, we cannot do anything for them. They've passed beyond help, trapped in hell forever. Any of them who chose to remain dead and are deemed worthy will be given passage out of hell and into other-world, to the world of the Grand Kai. Some Saiyans long dead have already made the journey there, having shunned your race's bloody past long before it was destroyed. Your race is being given a second chance."

Gohan was completely caught off guard by the prospect of it. Where were they going to go? What were they going to do? Which Saiyans were going to be brought back? A whole list of questions invaded his thoughts, none of which could be answered in such a short amount of time. The fact that his father had been working this deal, planning it all during his time in other-world, was astounding. They had literally bartered their race a second chance. The Elder Kai was less enthused.

"Simple?! Simple, he calls it! And you expect me to just go along with this?! You kindergarten Kai moron! Why don't _you_ do it since you're making all the big boy decisions around here?!"

"Well, I was hoping that you would see the troubles they had undergone, and realize-"

"Of course I have! But we're not talking about simply creating a new world or birthing a star, we're talking about resurrecting a dead race! One who, if I understand correctly, had a bad habit of blowing up said planets we keep creating! Not to mention spawning these three here, who are many, _many _times more powerful than any living creature is supposed to be! No individual creature is supposed to have enough power to completely destroy stars and take on the likes of Buu! That's the realm of the gods of destruction!"

While he was going on his rant, Gohan reflected that he was probably right. It was a peculiar thing, the three of them wielding so much power when generations of Saiyans before them were incapable of even transforming into a Super Saiyan. Shin countered the argument logically, with Gohan following his thoughts exactly.

"Elder, they didn't have a choice but to become so powerful. With the exception of Frieza, none of the enemies they faced have been natural. Each of them was specifically designed to be the most powerful thing in existence, and they were forced to become stronger to survive. It's a remarkable trait of theirs, and without it we would have fallen."

"And what if the rest of their race follows suit? Wouldn't it be better to leave them dead to avoid any problems later in life?"

Shin rubbed his temples, while the three Saiyans watched the back and forth with deep interest.

"There won't be much of a danger for that! We already know what the Saiyans intend to do when they go back. They may hold to their warrior heritage, but they're not just going to be destroyers for the sake of fighting. On top of all that, unless they find need to take on Beerus himself, there will be no reason for them to _need _to get stronger. They've destroyed the most powerful creature this universe has known! They're at the top now."

"Hmph… Fine!"

The Elder Kai crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at the younger version of himself. Shin let out a sigh of relief. All three of the Saiyans continued to watch with rapt attention. Gohan's heart was pounding in excitement. He wasn't even mad at Shin anymore. He was too excited that the Saiyan race was being given another chance.

"But... First, there's two things that I need."

Shin quickly tensed again, watching the old Kai nervously.

"First thing; I need a promise from you _and _from those three, that you'll pay close attention to the Saiyans! If we're going to bring back a warrior race, I want them to be productive members of society!"

All three of the Saiyans nodded their consent, though Gohan was slightly worried by what he meant. The old Kai held up two fingers and then pointed at his earrings.

"Second, I want you and Kibito to trade your opposite earrings!"

That pulled all of them up short. Gohan tried to figure out the meaning of that demand, but couldn't see any reason for it. Kibito and Shin looked at each other, just as confused as the Saiyans were, but did as they were told. They each took off their earring, making sure to have the opposite of the other, and handed it off, reattaching their opposite number's. For a moment nothing happened, and then the old Kai grinned devilishly. Gohan watched in awe as things suddenly started happening. Kibito and Shin yelped in panic as their bodies were suddenly flung towards each other. When they met, there was a bright light and a wild merging of ki. When it was all done, the three Saiyans were back on their feet and staring at a completely new being. Kibito and Shin had fused, much like Goku and Vegeta had done. His garb was the same, though red in color. He stood as tall and broad as Kibito, with long white locks to match, but his skin tone and facial features were that of Shin's. The fusion stood there blinking and staring at his hands while the Elder kai broke out in an uproarious fit of laughter.

"What…?"

The three Saiyans looked between the two Kai's. The fusion watched the old Kai rolling around and stood up straight, clearly unamused.

"While it's interesting that our earrings do that, I fail to see why you're so amused..."

Gohan was surprised to hear Shin's voice coming from the fusion, having expected it to be a cross between his and Kibito's, much like Gogeta's voice had been for Goku and Vegeta. Between gasps, the Elder Kai pointed at Kibito-Kai and wiped tears from his eyes.

"It's funny because you're an idiot! How could you fall for that?"

Kibito-shin grumbled under his breath and went to remove his earrings. The old Kai sputtered and started laughing again. The fusion removed the earrings and glared at them for a moment, but nothing happened. Gohan felt the realization sinking in and stared in awe at what had been done. On the ground, the Old Kai continued to laughl

"It's permanent you idiot! Hahahahahaha! How do you think I wound up this way? That old crone made me look this old, not time HAHAHAHHAHA! Oh you Saiyans had better be glad you didn't need it, I almost had you two do the Potara fusion! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"WHAT?!"

"Hahahahaha! Oh you're better off this way anyways you little kid-kai! You'll actually be able to do your job now!"

In spite of what he knew was a very traumatic and serious life-change, Gohan couldn't help but be amused. The old Kai was downright crazy, and it was hilarious. Shin's debt for what he had done wasn't paid, and Gohan didn't think it ever would be, but he could live with this for now. His father seemed to agree with him, laughing as much as he was at the strange situation. So after several more minutes of the Old Kai laughing like a maniac and the newly created Kibito-Shin yelling at him, things settled down enough for the three Saiyans to get their words in. Gohan sighed and looked himself over, finding himself very eager to be getting back to Earth and getting everything back on track. At the back of his mind he was still worried about Buu, but he was hoping it was just his paranoia, and didn't let it show. They had a lot to do, and sitting around here wasn't going to get it done.

"Okay, well let's get this show rolling huh? You guys have a race to resurrect and we've got to get back to some anxious families. Besides that, there's some things I have to do back on Earth before I can rest easy."

Vegeta for once seemed to agree with him, crossing his arms and glaring at the two Kai's.

"Right, for starters, we need to be _damn _sure that Buu is really gone. You say that you can't see him, but then you've proven that your omnipotence is something to be debated. We will get eyes on it for ourselves. If Buu survived, then we have to make our move before he can counter us."

Goku brushed himself off and stretched, grinning his usual grin at them.

"Well, we might as well get going then, huh? You guys can handle the Saiyans right?"

The old Kai held up a hand to stall him.

"Wait for a moment. I don't know what the Kindergarten Kai told you, but resurrecting an entire race will take a lot of time. Creating a planet may not take too long, but individually restoring the life to ten thousand souls will take a while."

Goku pouted and rubbed his neck, quirking an eyebrow at the old Kai.

"Awww but how long? I was really hoping to get them out into the fresh air today."

"Be patient Goku. We'll let you know when it's all done, and then you can go from there."

"Okay, I'll wait. But don't take too long okay?"

Gohan was having a hard time believing it all, it just seemed too surreal. They had made a deal with the closest thing to a god in their universe, fought against all sorts of devils and demons on their behalf, and now they were being rewarded with something that should not have even been possible. Even though he was only half-Saiyan, the prospect that he would get the chance to live amongst people like him and help them rebuild their race was a thrilling one. It left open a lot of possibilities, and gave him hope that he would find his own way in the world with them. He had a lot to look forward to.

Goku placed a hand on his shoulder and grinned. For the first time in a very, very long time, Gohan felt he could fully return it. He finally felt his hopes and spirits rising once more, no longer clouded and restrained by his negative thoughts.

"Let's go home son."

***EARTH – MINUTES LATER***

The plains to the southeast of Satan city were quiet. There was no trace left of the battle that had decimated the landscape. The knee-tall grass waved gently in the breeze, and what wildlife was there to be found continued on just as it had before. With a faint pop, three figures were dumped on the surface of the planet out of thin air. Gohan, Goku, and Vegeta looked about them. Gohan walked in a small circle around them, inspecting the area with a serious expression.

"Well… how do you guys think we should go about this? Buu was able to hide from us before… Split up and start searching all over?"

Vegeta didn't wait for a response or give one, instead choosing to take off into the sky and start searching in the direction their blasts had gone. Gohan watched after him for a moment before nodding towards his father.

"Guess so. I'll head that way."

He pointed over his shoulder towards the ocean and lifted off. He scanned everywhere with both his sight and ki sensing, prepared to act on a moment's notice. He didn't really know what he was expecting to find out there, but he hoped that it would be nothing. If he ever had to think about Buu again then it would be too soon. He was still haunted by the memory of being swallowed by the creature. Not even Cell had elicited such fear from him. So he scanned, determined that he would find Buu if any of him _had _survived.

His search was stopped short however when he spotted the tell-tale glint of a highly polished metal below him at the edge of the cliffs overlooking the ocean. His brow furrowed and he squinted down at it, trying to make it out clearer. He paused and blinked a few times, staring off into nothing as a thought occurred to him.

_Why do I keep squinting like that...? Can't be me needing… nah, worry about that later._

He shook his head and decided to inspect whatever was down there, dropping from the sky rapidly. He felt a jolt of excitement when he realized what it was. There, lying flat against the cliff and partially concealed by the tall grass, was the Z-sword. He wasn't entirely sure how it had wound up in that specific spot, but was glad that it had surfaced again. He'd only had it a short amount of time, but the blade fit him, and he was reluctant to part with it. Grinning at his discovery, he stooped to pick it up, grasping the hilt of the weapon and pulling. The blade came free of the grass, and its familiar weight dragged on Gohan's sore muscles.

"Hello my friend. Nice to see you in one piece."

He was about to take off and search again when he felt Goku's ki spike and flair twice. It was their way of telling the others to come running, and Gohan didn't wait to oblige him. He got a running start and blasted himself into the air, clutching the Z-sword in preparation. His father had gone off in the direction of Satan City, and Gohan feared the worst. However, when he got to the edge of the city, none of it seemed out of place. In fact, when he actually found his father, he wondered why his father had sent out the signal. The full blooded Saiyan was just outside the city suburbs, kneeling in front of a small and sickly looking child. Gohan dropped from the sky and came to a jogging halt, staring at the child in confusion. The child stared right back.

By Gohan's reckoning, the kid was barely two, if that. He was completely naked, and his dark skin had a sick and dull tone to it. If it weren't for the bright light in those dark brown eyes, Gohan would have thought the child was suffering from starvation and neglect. Even his hair seemed to be sick, limping to the side like it was. He had his fingers stuck in his mouth and his awe-filled eyes looked between the two men, and Gohan had no clue what to make of him. Pity welled in his gut, and he was quickly able to figure out why his father had stopped for the child. Goku continued to stare at the little boy, his expression quite serious, and rubbed his chin in thought.

"But that doesn't make any sense… Gohan, you feel his ki?"

The demi planted the sword into the ground at his side and leaned on it, peering at the child with a thoughtful expression. He found his ki, and realized exactly what his father meant. It was high, much more powerful than most adult humans would be in their prime. Under normal circumstances, Gohan would have dismissed it as the child being naturally gifted, except for the fact that it was so similar to the demon trio's ki at that age. And there was absolutely no way to train a two year old how to control their ki and build on it. No, there was something strange about this one. He furrowed his brow, looking around them for any sign of the child's parents.

"Yea I feel it… know where he's from? We really do need to start looking for Buu again. Vegeta's not going to be happy with this detour."

Goku looked up at him and shook his head, and Gohan realized that there was something his father had noticed that he was still missing. Goku raised his eyebrows and then returned his gaze to the boy.

"Gohan, it's not normal, and if I'm right then I don't think he's got parents… Let's see…"

Without warning, Goku poked the child in the belly. The boy in turn started wailing as he collapsed to his rear. Besides being able to scream even louder than a Saiyan baby, his ki shot skyward and a bright pink aura flared up around him. Goku backed away and Gohan raised the Z-sword to chest-height as the two of them stared at the little boy. Dust and wind kicked up around them and Gohan's heart started pounding in his ears.

_No… There's no way…_

It was during this that Vegeta caught up to them, landing next to Gohan and gaping at the small child. As his cries died down, so did his aura. The air calmed, and the little boy was left lying on his back, squirming much like any infant would in his situation. Gohan was conflicted as he stared at it. His stomach churned with nausea and his chest hurt from the conflicting emotions there. He couldn't believe what he just felt. Vegeta took a step forward and stared down at the little boy with bewilderment.

"Is this thing… Kakarot, what exactly did you find?"

Goku scratched at the back of his head, completely perplexed.

"I thought I sensed that, but I didn't quite believe it… I think we just found whatever it was that Buu spat out during our fight… This is what's left of Buu."

***CAPSULE CORP – SOME TIME EARLIER***

Things were beyond hectic for everyone as they all reappeared. For a while Videl was quite concerned that she had been left behind and forgotten on King Kai's world, purely due to the fact that all of the Z-fighters had vanished after the battle on Earth. She'd been celebrating the apparent victory as soon as she saw the three Saiyans get snatched up by Kibito through King kai and before she knew what was going on, it was just her and the Kai. Fortunately, her mild panic attack was short-lived, because she suddenly found herself standing on Earth's lookout with the Z-fighters from the Kai's planet, plus Chiaotzu. Excited to get back and see the people they'd been missing, they rushed back in the direction of West city as quick as they could.

Capsule corp was standing as proud as ever, and they found everyone who had died there back to life and wandering around the grounds in confusion. As soon as she spotted the two blondes, she had rushed to them and crushed them both in a back-breaking hug, much to Sharpener's embarrassment and Erasa's glee. Then Chi Chi spotted the group, and completely broke down in tears and rushed to embrace them all, even an embarrassed Piccolo and Android 17. When the woman had finally gotten her sobs under control, she latched onto Yamcha, who was perhaps her oldest and closest friend besides Bulma. Videl and the others were about to head out to find the others when Krillin showed up, dropping from the sky and greeting them all with an excited shout.

The rest of the gang wasn't far behind, and within minutes, Bulma's truck had landed, and everyone was mingling together and sharing tearful greetings. Chi Chi released a suddenly relieved looking Yamcha to scoop up the twins and crush the air out of them. Videl's father instantly found her and picked her up into a bear-hug, and she didn't even care enough to look embarrassed by it. Marron and Krillin were reunited with 18, the Kame house regulars all gathered together, and Lime couldn't seem to figure out who she was going to cling to. Even Icarus had found his way back in the midst of the commotion, much to Videl's excitement. He circled once above before landing next to the habitat dome, letting out a loud trumpet of glee. Had they not been occupied with an over-protective mother, Goten and Ria would have been all over the dragon like normal.

It was an emotional scene, with the relief and joy of their victory making the air hum with energy. It wasn't long before Bulma called for them to go inside and prepare for their next move. So they all piled into the family dome, many of them finding a place to sit and just relaxing for the first time in days. Videl was among them, finding herself a spot of open grass next to where everyone else was gathered and just listening while her father babbled on about something she wasn't paying attention to. Bulma sat at the edge of the pool on one of her deck chairs and looked between them with a constant smile on her face.

"Well guys, I know that there's going to have to be a party after all of this to celebrate, but first we're going to have to figure out what's going to happen now. And for that, we need to get a couple key members. Piccolo, can you sense our boys?"

The tall Namekian stood away from the others with crossed arms like normal, and only cracked one eye to look at the bluenette in response.

"No, I can't. But if I recall correctly, Kibito got them away from the planet when they finished Buu off. I'm willing to bet that they're still wherever he took them, and are just waiting to come back for some reason. You'll know when they're back on Earth…"

Yamcha nervously laughed and pointed towards Chi Chi and the two twins, who were starting to turn blue with how hard their mother was holding them to her.

"They better not keep us too long, I doubt the runts here are gonna make it!"

Laughter rang in the air and he was abruptly chased around the area by Chi Chi wielding a handy pool noodle. The twins breathed in some fresh air as their eyes finally refocused. Bulma giggled behind her hand and played with her son's hair. Trunks looked irately at the ground but didn't dare budge.

"Well, as soon as they get back we're going to have to figure out what to say. Sure, most of the world has already forgotten about Buu, but I heard people out there talking about the tournament. It seems that everything prior to Buu is spreading like wildfire, including Videl's injury, Gohan's outburst, and whatnot. From there they can only go towards what happened for the week afterwards, until it conveniently fades from memory again. So… What do we tell them?"

She pointedly looked at Hercule, who had finally chosen to pay attention to what they were saying. Likewise, Videl looked at him sideways, making her old man cringe and sweat a bit. He shook his head violently and waved his arms in front of him.

"Uh-uh! I'm not going to do that again, promise! You guys are scary enough as is, I don't want you out for my blood too!"

Videl rolled her eyes and shoved her father's shoulder.

"You would back out from fear… They're asking for an opinion from you dad, after all, you're the one who was the tournament big-shot and gave the speeches."

"Oh yea… right…"

Mr. Satan rubbed his shoulder and laughed nervously. Bulma rolled her eyes and shook her head, placing her cheek in her palm and resting her head there.

"Well, I get enough publicity already, so I'm not too keen on letting them know it was us."

Krillin spoke up finally sitting up from his laid-back position and looking thoughtfully around at the others.

"I dunno guys, do you think that maybe we're a bit too paranoid about all this? I mean, there was a time when most of us were world famous for our fighting abilities. It's not like we're asking for money or anything, but really, why should we hide it?"

Chi Chi sat back down, having whacked Yamcha a few good times with the pool noodle finally. She resumed holding her children, albeit with less intensity.

"The whole reason we didn't want the credit for Cell was to keep the world ignorant of our involvement and stay anonymous. It only became more important when Gohan's attitude changed. Why would we suddenly go back on that?"

_Well, he's going to have to get used to at least some publicity, what with being paired with the "champs" daughter and all._

Videl snorted and fought back a chuckle, earning the Son Matron's attention. She quirked an eyebrow at the younger woman, to which Videl wasn't sure how to respond. She didn't exactly know what she found amusing about her own thoughts.

"Don't worry, it's nothing Chi Chi. Just excited is all."

The Son woman gave her a small smile and nodded her understanding, and went back to the conversation.

"I think we still need to hear from our Saiyans before we talk further about it. They finished the job, so I think they get the final say."

A couple of the Z-fighters seemed to not agree with that, but didn't speak up. In particular, 17 and 18 seemed a bit irritated, though the both of them were good at hiding it. Tien stood and rolled his shoulders back, stretching out his muscles and sighing heavily.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I think that for now, we need to all just kick back and enjoy today. I like Trunks' idea…"

He pointed at the lavender haired child, who had dozed off, leaning back against his mother. She glanced down at him with a smile and rolled her eyes.

"Alright, I think you're right Tien. We won't get anything done right now anyways, so it's all open for you guys! Kitchen, the rec room, whatever you feel like!"  
And so they set about doing whatever they felt like at the time. Most just resorted to laying out on the grass in the sunlight filtering through the windows. It was a beautiful day outside, and they were all mentally exhausted. The four teens of the group naturally found themselves gravitating towards each other, and Videl felt relief like she hadn't felt since she and Gohan had shared their last moment.

_Don't think about that right now! Sheesh they'll never let me hear the end of it!_

Fortunately for her, Lime was currently the center of attention. They had sat down at the edge of the pool, exactly where they had been not so long ago during their break. Lime had started crying again, though this time she was laughing at the same time. She grabbed Erasa's and Sharpener's hands, beaming at them even as pearly tears streaked down her face. Erasa looked like she was about to join her in tears, but Sharpener looked alarmed and more than a little embarrassed.

"You guys…"

"Lime! Don't cry! Please, we're fine now see?"

The brunette let out a choked laugh and squeezed his hand hard, sticking her tongue out playfully at him.

"Oh hush! And let me have this moment! I'm just happy that you guys are back, and in one piece!"

The blonde shut up after that, sitting uncomfortably with Lime squeezing his hand. Erasa pouted a bit, wrinkling her nose at some thought she was having.

"You know, it wasn't all _that_ bad, see…?"

Lime and Videl watched her, curious as to what she had to say. Sharpener's eyes took on a distant look as he was recalling his last moments as well. He cut the other blonde off, eager to get his piece in.

"Yea, it was pretty painless really. The worst part was the fear right before. Everything else was cake! Just boom, flash of light, then staring at the pearly gates! So to speak…"

Erasa scoffed and playfully shoved his shoulder.

"As if Sharpy! You know you wouldn't have gone there if you got a sex-change and became a nun! Your brain is too corrupted already!"

Lime and Videl couldn't help it, they burst out laughing at the joke. Erasa was soon to follow, with Sharpener shrugging in defeat and joining them. Videl knew it shouldn't have been so funny, considering the context of it, but considering all that had just happened, the laughter was a welcome relief of tension. When they regained control of themselves, Erasa turned to the other two women, her eyes full of excitement and curiosity.

"So what happened? Obviously we missed out on some crucial details after the attack, how much time has passed? What happened with Buu? Is it true that Gohan and Vegeta are back?"

Lime nodded in affirmation, but played with the sleeve of her shirt nervously.

"Yea, Gohan's father too! You'll like him. But I'm not too savvy on the details after we went to Namek-"

"Namek? What's a Namek?"

Videl stepped in, crossing her legs and leaning back on her hands to look up at the ceiling and the soft sunlight filtering in.

"It's another planet… You see Piccolo and Dende over there? The green ones? That's where they're from."

"Wha-… another planet?! How did you get there! And back?!"

She smiled, not looking at them, just remembering it all in vivid detail.

"Kibito took us. What's more, I got dragged off to _another _planet too, the world of King Kai I think it was called…"

So she told the story, filling in the two blondes as well as Lime as to what she witnessed through the Kai. They were all amazed at the little planet alone, wondering what it felt like being on a planet with ten times earth's gravity. They were even more amazed at the bizarre things she had to tell them about the conversation held there. How she was among the dead Z-fighters, the strange things they had to say, and most of all about Gohan's transformation. She described the battle in short detail, telling them about how they had fallen, and as a last resort, Vegeta had triggered the ape transformation. Even Lime seemed stuck in awe at that, having never seen it herself, and only hearing of it in passing. Erasa was sitting with her head cradled on her hands, propping it up and watching wide-eyed like a child discovering television for the first time.

"So… Like, how big are we talking here? Could you tell?"

Videl ran her first finger across her palm for scale.

"Goku almost fit in the width of his palm, so… probably about a hundred and twenty feet? It's hard to say for certain. But his strength was amazing."

She wasn't sure if it was fear or awe that colored her voice, but whatever it was had an effect on the other three. She decided to leave out the details of that fight, and how Gohan had attacked his father outright. Sharpener nervously rubbed his thighs.

"But, how strong do you mean?"

Videl raised an eyebrow at him and gave him a sheepish smile.

"Well… To put it bluntly, he and the others destroyed the planet…"

Their jaws could have fallen off with how quickly they dropped. Lime of course wasn't surprised.

"Wait, seriously?"

Videl nodded, giving him a devious look.

"And that was when they were worn out, _and _doing their best not to destroy the planet."

Sharpener gulped and paled a little bit, but Erasa giggled excitedly. She slapped the crime-fighter's arm lightly and rolled her eyes in amusement.

"Stop messing with him Videl, you know how much of a scaredy-cat he is when he knows someone is stronger than him!"

Their light banter was interrupted when Piccolo's voice cut through the quiet.

"They're back."

It was a calm and stern statement, and one that didn't seem to carry good news. The others, picking up on that, turned to look at him expectantly. Videl felt her heart jolt in excitement, then feel heavy with the dark tone in it. The other Z-fighters seemed tense as well, and she was once again left feeling like she was left out, being unable to sense power levels like them. Bulma gave him a weak smile and shrugged.

"Well, isn't that a good thing Piccolo? I mean, they did it right?"

The Namekian uncrossed his arms and looked up towards the high windows, his gaze stern.

"I'd say it was if their ki wasn't elevated like they were getting ready for a fight. They've scattered too… Something's not right."

***SOMEWHERE OVER THE WEST HIGHWAY***

_I can't believe we're doing this… What in the world is my dad thinking?!_

Gohan glared hard at the little blue-shirt bundle that his father was carrying as the made their best speed to Capsule Corp. His father had seen all the things Buu had done, he'd watched as his own son was devoured and his friends killed off one by one. But here he was, showing pity for the creature. He held the heavy sword at his side, ready to act on an instant if the _thing_ showed any sign of attacking. He had reluctantly decided to humor his father, withholding his impulse to ignore him and do whatever the hell he pleased. Vegeta seemed likewise hindered, though he suspected the Prince didn't act or say anything mostly out of respect for the younger Saiyan. He'd just fought alongside him, and knew well enough that he didn't stand a chance in a fight with Goku. So he and Vegeta just followed Goku for the time being, heading towards the group he could feel gathered at Capsule corp.

"Dad! Don't you think we should take this thing elsewhere, just in case?"

Goku grinned at him over his shoulder, making himself heard above the wind.

"Nah, I think we'll be fine Gohan! After all, this little guy is no threat to us!"

_Far too trusting and forgiving dad… This has gotten you into trouble before and you know it._ _I just hope for all of our sakes that you're not wrong this time._

It wasn't long until they were within sight of Capsule corp. There was a small group already outside waiting for them, made up of the fighters and the Demon trio, minus Android 18. Gohan's heart fluttered when he saw Videl, and in spite of their current predicament, he found himself getting excited. He couldn't help but smile at seeing them all again. So they descended, and the rest of the group waited for them, none too patiently, and cheered them when they landed. Gohan upturned the Z-sword and buried the tip in the dirt, propping the sword up and leaving it behind as he went forth to greet them. He was joined shortly by Goku, and upon his arrival, the twins immediately went after him, babbling their excited nonsense. Trunks ran right past them all and straight for his father. Gohan, glancing back saw that their "package" had been left in the unwilling hands of Vegeta, who was holding the bundle out with one hand like a particularly foul diaper while trying to not show too much emotion towards seeing his son alive again. The resulting expression and body language looked like he had really bad indigestion and really good drugs at the same time.

He could have laughed, but was interrupted by Videl hitting him sideways on, crushing him in a tight hug. He looked down and felt his smile broaden at her touch and the scent of her filling his nose. A devious chuckle from his godfather and a wolf-whistle from Yamcha sent a blush through his cheeks, but he ignored them and returned the hug. It was short lived though, because Vegeta interrupted.

"Well this is nice and all, but what are we going to do with this _thing _Kakarot?! It was your idea to bring it back here!"

Goku acted as if he'd accidentally left his clothes in the wash for too long, laughing nervously and scratching at the back of his neck.

"Oh yea! I'd almost forgot about that! Guys, how about we go inside ok? We've got a new… uh… development."

***INSIDE***

They all stared down at the little boy, who stared back with wide eyes, clearly scared and uncomfortable. He was partially wrapped up in Goku's blue undershirt, hiding most of his frail frame. None of them said a word. Their reunion had been cut short by the serious tone in the air as Goku set the child down in the grass and announced what they had found. Half of them were obviously outraged, the other half at a complete loss. For several seconds all they did was stare at the child.

"That… _thing_ is… is…"

"Yea… That's Buu." Gohan didn't try to hide his disgust, he knew most of them shared his sentiments. He gripped the hilt of his sword tighter, prepared to strike at a moment's notice. Bulma spoke, her voice a bit faint as she hung on her husband's arm, hiding behind him slightly.

"Are you guys sure? He just looks like a scared little kid."

Vegeta shrugged her off gently and crossed his arms, looming over the child menacingly.

"That's what we need to figure out, just _what _this thing is exactly. I felt his power… It didn't feel right..."

Gohan furrowed his brow and glared at the creature.

"No… It's definitely what remains of Buu. The question is not what it is, it's which part…"

Piccolo crossed his arms, peering down at the little thing and watching closely.

"And if it's the dangerous part…?"

Gohan shifted his weight, taking a deep breath and simply declaring his intent.

"I'll kill it… Simple as that, it's not a risk we can take."

Goku stood apart from him, likewise watching the creature, but with more curiosity than anything else on his expression.

"I don't think it _is _the dangerous part though… Just look at him, he seems so…"

Chi Chi finished the statement, leaning forward to get a better look at the child, which looked back at her as she did.

"Innocent."

A hush fell over them, pondering all the possibilities. The buu-child turned its gaze every which way, unsure of its surroundings. Gohan still couldn't get over the fact that it was Buu, and his knuckles were turning white over the hilt of the Z-sword. Vegeta seemed to be thinking along the same lines as him, and the others appeared conflicted on the matter.

"I don't like it Kakarot. Let's just kill it and be done with this whole thing. It's not worth the risk."

Bulma recoiled from him, looking at him with a torn expression.

"But Vegeta, what if he's not Buu, what if he's just a kid?"

Gohan stepped forward and knelt in front of the child, looking at it hard and cutting off any further discussion as he laid the Z-sword to the side. The boy stared up at him with wonder in his eyes, not unlike the twins had as infants. Gohan's gut was saying that he agreed with Vegeta and should deal with it, but a large part of him wanted to give the child a chance. He held no affection for the creature, in fact he wished it hadn't been left alive. But it wasn't any different a situation than Vegeta, the androids, or any one of his father's enemies who had been turned friends. Hell, Goku himself had not initially been the same person who they knew today. He was a violent Saiyan baby upon arrival with only the instinct to destroy and make the world barren. Half of the people who surrounded him were initially enemies. He sighed, unsure of how to proceed. Truth be told, he was just tired. Tired of fighting and killing, and being among the most powerful beings in the universe. He just wanted to rest and relax, and to live quietly. He felt his father's kindness worming its way through him as he looked at the pitiful creature. His questions to himself and the child came out as a low murmur, one which he didn't expect to get a response to.

"If you were to live and grow, would you become a threat? Are you still possessed by Bibidi's insanity? Where would you live? Who would watch you? And how do we determine whether we can risk it?"

His mutterings were followed by the quiet murmuring of the others. Vegeta seemed completely shocked that he had asked such questions, and just stared wide-eyed at the demi. Bulma on the other hand, seemed relieved that someone besides Goku and herself were openly considering it now. She strode over to him and knelt down next to him, peering at the child as well. She tilted her head to the side to get another angle of him.

"Well, I suppose first we would have to start with your last question…"

Gohan raised his eyes from the child's to look at her, slightly startled that she had gotten so close without his knowing. He hadn't realized he had spoken loud enough for them to hear.

"I think that before anything we should give him a good inspection, just to figure out exactly what he is. You guys say he's Buu, but he looks just like a normal baby. I can handle it, we have the facilities here."

Vegeta stepped in, putting his hands on his hips and glaring at the woman.

"If you think that I'm going to let you put yourself in danger then you're crazy!"

She rolled her eyes and looked up at Vegeta with an irate expression before reaching forward and grasping the child under the arms. The group held their breath expectantly, and Gohan had to stop himself from rushing forward and swatting the child out of her hands. But nothing happened. The child just stared at her, his little arms settling on top of hers and his wide eyes looking at her unblinking. She picked it up and held it at chest level. She looked back at Vegeta with an expression that clearly was daring him to say something. Vegeta sputtered once but crossed his arms, looking away from her.

"Fine, but you're not going alone. I'm going to oversee the whole thing. Kakarot, Brat, you should come too. You're the ones getting us into this mess."

Gohan sighed and stood, electing to leave the sword laying in the grass there. Nobody was going to be able to move it after all. He spared the rest of the group a serious look and nodded to try and give them some comfort. The tension in the air was thick. They started murmuring quietly as the four of them left the family dome with the child. Bulma seemed to be getting more and more comfortable with her close contact to Buu, and Gohan's nerves were getting worse and worse. She treated it like it was just another child. They reached the research building and immediately went to the medical lab, where Bulma had been testing on Buu before. She set the child down on an examination table and immediately pulled her white lab coat on. Goku stood next to Buu and knelt down to be at eye level with him.

"You're not so scary, huh?"

The child's response was to giggle and grab a hold of one of Goku's hairs, giving it a good tug. Goku whined in pain and managed to pull his hair out of Buu's grasp. Gohan was slightly disarmed by the childish behavior, but refused to let it sway his mind. Instead he chose to watch Bulma gather her things. The blue haired genius returned to the table, setting out a few simple instruments on a side table and pulling out a small syringe. Goku immediately cringed and fled from the device, standing well out of the way and behind Gohan, who watched him with a critical eye. Vegeta gaped at him and Bulma looked like she was about to burst into laughter. Goku smiled apologetically at his son, laughing sheepishly.

"I don't like needles."

Gohan sighed heavily, shaking his head. "Dad…"

Bulma took a deep breath and went back to what she was doing with the child, who was staring at Goku still, oblivious to the woman behind him.

"Well, this is going to be the first test. We're going to see how he responds to a sedative."

With that she stuck the child, who immediately began crying in discomfort. Goku continued to hide behind his son, his pity for the child overflowing. Gohan watched the child with rapt attention, prepared to step in at a moment's notice. He was surprised to see the child's eyes start to droop and his cries started dying down. Bulma watched in fascination as the sedative worked, until finally the child passed into unconsciousness. Bulma gently laid out the child and gave them all a dumbfounded look.

"That was… unexpected. You boys just wait there, okay? This won't take too long."

***LATER – FAMILY DOME***

Gohan and the others returned to the family dome and the waiting Z-gang, who were all huddled together and discussing the most recent turn of events. It was no surprise that they were skeptical, afraid, and upset. He was too, and rightfully so. But now he had seen Bulma doing her tests, he saw what he needed to see, and he wasn't sure what he was going to do about it. Tien gave them all a scrutinizing glare with his arms crossed, an air of impatience about him.

"Well? What is it? Gohan and Vegeta haven't killed it yet, so…"

Bulma hefted the child, which was passed out comfortably against her shoulder. She had even washed the kid, giving his hair a livelier and full appearance, and brightening his skin tone a bit.

"That would take a lot of explaining, so I'll give you the short version. This little guy is definitely not human, his chromosome count is many times larger than a humans, but it's like his body is trying to _be _human. Everything about him besides the fact that he isn't one, is just like an infant at approximately eighteen months old. To all intents and purposes, this _is _just a baby. He doesn't even have a fully developed brain yet."

It was true, Gohan couldn't deny it. He just wasn't sure how it had happened. Theories passed through his mind rapidly, and he heard the others start babbling to each other but ignored it. The child, disturbed by the noise, started crying. That hushed the crowd, who turned their eyes onto it once more. Gohan crossed his arms and furrowed his brow in thought, bringing his ideas out for them to hear.

"When we were fighting Buu, he switched his forms around a lot. One of the ones he chose seemed to not only change in physical attributes, but mentally as well. It was faster, smarter, and when we managed to hit it, it bled like anything else we've fought. It was the most _human_ version of Buu we had seen. Once we had it defeated, it begged me to kill it, like it had a conscience all of a sudden. It acted _human_."

He took a deep breath and continued, glancing up and noticing he had all of their attention except for Vegeta and Goku, who he knew had already shared his thoughts.

"Something inside him snapped, and the old Buu appeared, and spat the human-like one out to be destroyed. All that was left then was a huge unintelligent mass of flesh that had no skill, no drive, morals, or rational thought. It just lived to destroy, pure chaos… I think that Buu slowly built up a part of himself with emotions and worldly motivations, and this is what remains of that part of him. All of those people, particularly the ones after he was reawakened, that he absorbed and destroyed? I think that this is what resulted from all of that carnage."

Bulma gave him a smile and set the little boy down on one of her chairs. The rest of the gang seemed skeptical at what Gohan was saying, but none of them spoke on the matter. None of them had been present during that part of the fight after all. Gohan sighed and absently waved a hand towards the child.

"Which would mean that this child is literally the manifestation of all of Buu's human personality traits that he gained through his conquests. Everything that makes humans unique, good and bad. It's a blank slate, an open mind and body that is trying to be the thing it's emulating; a human."

Yamcha stepped forward, posing the question that was on all of their minds now.

"Okay, so he's basically just a lost child. But that doesn't change the fact that he's all that remains of Buu. Can we risk it?"

Goku was the one to answer that question, his tone as serious as any of them had heard it in a while.

"I definitely think we can, and should. I'm in agreement with Gohan here, he's as much a human as I am really. I'm not one, but I've lived like one. He doesn't have any opinions or drive yet, and he could be raised and molded as something completely different than Buu. He could be Buu's opposite!"

Piccolo grunted, cracking his neck and rolling his stiff shoulders.

"You guys are worried too much. I sense no evil from this kid, and as it is he can barely be classified as a threat. We will have plenty of time to see."

"But why should we give him the chance to continue down Bibidi's and Buu's path?"

Gohan responded to that one, raising his voice above the others' and cutting off any further question. He'd made up his mind after his father had spoken.

"None of us have the right to take that away from him, not when almost all of us have died and gotten our second chances as well. I may hate everything that gave us this thing, I may not even like the kid myself, but I cannot kill him knowing that he's innocent. He's the result of this fight, just as we all are the result of our own histories. Had anyone of us arbitrarily decided that someone didn't deserve a second chance…"

He trailed off, watching the faces of a lot of them fall slightly as the truth of his implication sank in.

"No, we will be patient and watch the child, and direct him as we would our own. It's what we do, and how we are so strong as a group. I'll take a personal hand in making sure he stays on the straight and narrow, and If I must, I will deal with him in the worst situations. But I will give him that chance first."

No one dared to contradict him, and he was grateful that a lot of them nodded in affirmation. Nobody seemed particularly happy about it, with the exception of his father and Bulma, but they weren't downright opposing it. Krillin patted his daughter's head and looked down at the small dark child.

"Okay, so then who's going to take him in? No offense, but I don't think anyone here is going to want to have to shoulder that responsibility, considering who he is."

A moment's silence hung over them. Gohan knew that was going to happen. He wasn't dense enough to believe that even if they were all convinced to let him live, they would welcome him into their homes. He knew that even Bulma wouldn't want to take the child on as a permanent resident, purely because of the hand her husband would have in his upbringing. What did surprise him however was Hercule pushing his way to the front nervously, trying to avoid actually touching any of them.

"I-I'll do it. I haven't really been much of a help, but I can do this part at least. That is, if that's okay with all of you..."

The Z-fighter's collective gaze fell on him as he spoke, and the large man was sweating. None of them objected to his idea, not even Videl, who looked apprehensively at her old man. Gohan thought it over carefully, looking at the child.

_Hercule could raise the kid, but I know me and dad would have to be there regularly to help train him… And to keep him in check. Though it might be more beneficial for him to grow up with at least a normal setting around him. Buried in the middle of Satan city, he'll get a lot of interaction with other people. He might even develop somewhat normally._

"I think that could work, actually."

Hercule sighed, apparently relieved he hadn't simply been slapped for suggesting that he raise the child. Gohan went to stand next to the child, mentally preparing himself for what he was about to do. He bypassed his godmother, and his father, and crouched down next to the baby.

_I'm going to have to get used to the idea of this… Might as well get started now._

He reached out and picked up the child, who squirmed in his arms before relenting his struggle and staring up at him. He held it like that for a second before meeting Hercule's nervous gaze and holding the child out for him to take.

"So Hercule will be his caretaker, I for one, will make sure that he stays in line… Now we need something to call him."

For the most part, the group was silent, with only a couple people tossing out ideas. A couple of them were less than friendly names, but then his father stepped in, his grin wide and his eyes happily watching the child.

"Well, he's supposed to be the exact opposite of Buu right? The reverse side to the same coin?"

His question was left hanging in the air, and Gohan quirked an eyebrow at him. Goku clapped Hercule on the shoulder, nearly sending the tall man flying, and poked a finger at the baby.

"So, why don't we just call you Uub?"

The baby giggled and grabbed at his finger while Hercule looked quite a bit flustered with his new charge. Within seconds, it was unanimously agreed upon. The child would be referred to as Uub. With that settled, they agreed that for now Uub should be left with Bulma and her staff for observation and care. He was given to one of the robots, which took the sleeping infant to the medical ward to be placed in a sleeping chamber. Everyone else decided that they would scatter about and take some much needed rest. The only ones left in that same spot was Hercule, the three Saiyan men, Bulma, and Videl.

It was then that Goku seemed to remember something, and brightened up even more. He turned to the scattered crowd and confidently placed his hands on his hips, getting their attention.

"Oh yea, and I forgot to mention you guys!"

They paused and turned to look back at them, and Goku turned towards Bulma with a cheery grin.

"I worked out a deal with the Supreme Kai! Not only am I back for good, but the Saiyans are coming back. All of planet Vegeta is being remade!"

"WHAT?!"

Goku laughed sheepishly, and Gohan couldn't help but chuckle at the incredulous looks they were all giving him. Even Vegeta cracked a smile and sat back to watch as Goku explained the situation once more.

***TWO WEEKS LATER***

Gohan sighed heavily and pressed the buttons on his watch, returning to his normal clothes. He was on the roof of Orange star high, back to the routine he had before the tournament. It had taken a lot of convincing from his mother to make him go back, but in the end he had finally agreed to it. After the last two weeks of being cooped up at Capsule Corp, he had actually been itching to get out and do something for once.

In spite of his lack of action the last two weeks, a lot had happened in the world since the defeat of Buu. They still hadn't gotten word of planet Vegeta yet of course, but then they had more pressing matters at home to deal with. True to Bulma's prediction, word of Buu started cropping up everywhere, being posted on social websites and creating an aura of fear that blanketed the globe. In response to the rising tension and fear, Bulma and Hercule decided to give them an explanation that the world accepted, ridiculous as it was. Gohan still laughed about it every once in a while, remembering the broadcast coming over the television.

_"It has recently come to light that the incident sweeping the world right now was in fact an alien invasion by a creature known as 'Majin Buu', sources tell us. While the origins of this 'Majin Buu' remain a mystery from outer space, it has been confirmed that no real harm has come to the planet. This is not the first time that the Earth has come under invasion, as there was the attacks by two alien beings reportedly called "Saiya-jin" nearly fifteen years ago in East City that left thousands dead and billions of dollars' worth of damage done. Much like the destruction of Cell Seven years ago, it would seem that anyone who was killed by the vile creature has been miraculously revived with no explanation. Many are calling it an act of god, while some believe that there is a government conspiracy out there to test technology being brought by Capsule Corporation. Mrs. Bulma Brief had this to say on the matter: __**"Capsule Corporation has been working diligently to expand our research into outer space exploration. With the knowledge that we are not alone in this universe, we must take our eyes to the stars. We are not however, currently researching any means to clone the entire human race, as is being suggested on some popular web pages at this time. We will continue to work with the Government to sort out fact from fiction and further mankind's reach for the stars." **__Hercule Satan, hero of the planet, has stated that the effect of the hallucinogenic first started taking place during the world tournament that was recently being hosted. He advises people to not think too much into it, and to work with your neighbors to bring these rumors to a halt. He still watches over us folks, there is nothing to fear on this planet while our champion stands guard."_

They had laid it on thick for that one, but the world ate it up regardless, and less than a week later, it wasn't even making a mention in the news. As Porunga had stated, the Earth quickly forgot about Buu entirely. Of course, he had a slightly harder time forgetting it, seeing how he saw Uub every day. But for all of his worry, the child had simply been a child. Pooping his diaper and puking on his new surrogate father was about the worst that he'd done. For that, he was thankful.

But today was another test for him, one that he had been fighting to ignore since his realization upon his return. He had been unmasked during the tournament. The cameras had been destroyed, but there were still people there who had seen him with their own eyes, and surely someone from that crowd would have recognized him and spread the news. He pondered what he would do if he was confronted with it, not really paying attention to what he was doing as he walked through the halls of Orange Star High.

"Hey Nerd boy!"

The shout from down the hall brought him out of his internal musings, and he focused his attention outwards to find a familiar scene. The students were all bustling about the hallways, getting ready for their first class of the day and ignoring him. Sharpener was standing next to his locker, waving him down to join him. Relieved that so far things were looking normal, he squared his shoulders and met up with his friend. It occurred to him that it was odd not seeing anyone else from their group, but decided that they must have already gone to class.

"Hey Sharpy."

They shook hands.

"Dude, it's about time you came back. Lime said that you were starting to look rough back there in west city with all your worrying."

"Ah I'm alright. Just have to keep an eye on our little charge now. Besides, it's not like I was completely cut off, I still saw Videl and lime every day since they've been riding together to school."

Sharpener turned and started leading the way towards the classroom, giving him a slightly annoyed expression.

"You could have made a little time to come see me and Erasa too man, she's been whining about not seeing you for _two whole weeks!_"

Gohan chuckled at that, knowing that he wasn't really upset with him. Sharpener continued with a shrug as they neared the classroom.

"_And _our ever-so-patient instructors have been slightly perturbed by your absence."

"You guys didn't tell them something?!"

He laughed, looking over his shoulder at the demi's incredulous expression.

"Not my monkey man, all I'll say is have fun with that! I'm just glad to have you back with us, and that things are back to normal."

Gohan deadpanned at him. "Thanks Sharpy, I'll remember that."

With that, the two of them shared a grin and pushed the door to the classroom open. Being greeted with the sight of a bunch of senior high-schoolers mouthing off to each other and just being dumb teenagers was a more welcome sight than Gohan had imagined it ever could be. He nodded to the teacher, who just glared at him as he passed, and walked up the steps to his seat next to Videl, returning a few greetings from familiar faces as he went. His reunion with Erasa was short, mostly due to the ringing of the start of class bell. He took a deep breath as he sat next to Videl, stealing a quick kiss from her, much to the annoyance of the teens next to them.

"Get a room you two."

The two black-haired teens turned their attention to Erasa, who was pouting with annoyance and apparent jealousy. Gohan smirked and placed his chin in his hand, propped up on his desk.

"Not now Erasa, we're in the middle of class."

He winked at Videl as he said it, earning giggles from the rest of them. It felt good being back. He felt more unburdened than he had in a very long while. His father was back, he finally had the woman he had longed for over the months since his arrival, and best of all, he wasn't afraid to be social and speak to his long-time friends. For the first time in many a year, he was truly happy to be alive. For Son Gohan, things were looking up.

* * *

Gohan had lost track of how much time had passed, until one day he realized that four months had passed since Buu. He fell so readily into his daily routine that the only things that stuck out at him really was the major events. Of course, news of his and Videl's little secret meeting had spread throughout the Z-gang like wildfire, resulting in an even combination of teasing and congratulations. He and Videl had found a home in secret to the public eye, living in a small capsule house at the edge of Satan City with a generous amount of land at his disposal to use. Of course, it had been an interesting conversation, breaking it to her father that she was moving out to live with him, but in the end he had resigned that she was grown up now. Though he still glared angrily at Gohan every time they met. Not that it really mattered to the Demi what he thought. Eventually, the old man would understand and relent his fatherly urges.

His parents on the other hand, had been all too ready for him to go out into the world. His mother, because she was excited at the prospect of grandchildren, which he wasn't at all ready to make an attempt at. His father; because the distance didn't make a difference to him. He could just pop in at any time. Which he did frequently, much to the demi's annoyance. The rest of the Z-gang had all been in on it, helping them get moved and adjusted, with lots and lots of (sometimes unwarranted and unwanted) advice. Bulma had even gone as far as to donate a generous amount of money to get them the house, which left Gohan feeling even further indebted to the blue haired genius. Their conversation about it had included their plans for the future, in which Gohan stated that to pay her back, he would work for her in her R&amp;D department. After all, he had a hard time looking a gift horse in the mouth when he had no money to his name, and Videl had refused to take any of her fathers. Lime had elected to stay at Capsule Corp in the meantime, with all of the teens making daily meetings at the new Son home.

Life was picking up at a rapid pace. They were going to graduate high school within the month, and Videl already had plans to go to college with a major in Criminal Justice, and she was already hatching plans to join the police force full time as a trainer. Gohan was a bit more uncertain with what he wanted to do with his life. Sure there was the technical side of things, he loved to build and design anything he had the time for. But he also loved to fight, and he was good at it. There were so many possibilities, and so many variables, that he found himself at a loss. "Just do what you want to do, you've earned the right to that." Videl had told him that one night not long ago, but it left him with a bigger question. What did he want to do?

All the advice in the world did no good to help him decide. But today was not a day for him to worry about it. He'd received word early in the morning by way of his father popping into existence in their bedroom and waking them up rather rudely to tell him that the Elder Kai had completed his work, and planet Vegeta was alive and well again. Once he was done trying to smother his father with a pillow, and Videl had herself decently covered, he allowed himself to get excited about it. Which led him to his current position. He was pulling on his gi and retrieving the Z-sword, excitement coursing through his veins at the thought of meeting the Saiyans. He knew that Vegeta and Goku were already ready and waiting for him just outside. Videl stood next to the door, leaning against the wall with a pout on her face as she watched him.

"I still think I should be going Gohan. I know that it could be dangerous, but I doubt that I'd be in any real danger with you there."

Gohan tightened down his boots, and stood with the Z-sword, strapping it tightly across his back. He didn't acknowledge her statement at first, though he knew why she would be upset about it. After all, she had shown a deep-seated interest since he had revealed his heritage, and it had only grown more important after their mating their talks about the Saiyan race. She obviously wanted to go and see for herself what they were all about. She wanted to know what she had gotten herself into. But this was the first meeting, the first contact with the Saiyan race in over forty years, and he wanted to make sure it all went well. Something he had said to her multiple times. He paused in his buckling of the scabbard belt and held his hand out to her with a smile. She looked at his gesture for a short while before sighing and closing the short distance between them. He took her into a hug and leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"It's not about the danger Videl. We don't know what we're expecting when we get there. This is more like us just testing the waters before we plunge the whole world in."

"I know, but…"

He chuckled, thinking that her longing pout made her look even cuter than normal.

"Don't worry about it okay? We'll only be gone for a little while to figure out what the plan is. I'll be home before evening, and after that we will see about getting you out there okay?"

She huffed and averted her eyes, with that pout still on her face. He smirked and lifted her head with his hand, leaning in to plant a kiss on her lips. After a moment she relented, and he felt her relax. He pulled away and held his forehead against hers, gently rubbing her arms and smiling.

"I love you."

She smiled at him and rolled her eyes with a playful shove.

"You're just saying that because I'm upset with you. Now go, before I decide to force you to let me go with."

He couldn't help but laugh as he stepped out the door onto his front lawn. Goku was grinning from ear to ear, and Vegeta was hovering somewhere between embarrassment and disgust. He joined them, breathing the morning air deep.

"Well, shall we?"

"You ready for this Gohan?"

"As ready as I can be I suppose."

Vegeta huffed and cracked his neck in irritation.

"Just as long as you don't go showing off, we're fine. Remember, I'm still the Prince, ergo, I am in charge."

He couldn't help but roll his eyes, but he conceded that point. Sure he had already met his Grandfather and King Vegeta, but now he was going to go in front of the entire Saiyan race. It would make sense for the one among them who was actually recognized as royalty to be leading their group.

"Sure thing Veggie."

A moment's pause passed and Goku clasped his son on the shoulder, earning his attention. There was that same fatherly smile he had missed for so long, filling his heart with pride.

"I'm proud of you Gohan. As proud as a father can be of his son. Now, let's go meet the rest of the family."

Gohan grinned ear to ear, and he meant it now. After all of that time buried in his own hell, now he could really feel the happiness that he put into his smile. Life had possibility, it had meaning, and he had every reason to live now. He intended to follow through on it, and with a loud audible pop, the three of them disappeared, taking the first step into the next chapter of life.

**A/N: So, that's it you guys! Like I said at the beginning, I left it open for interpretation, or possibly even a sequel. I don't know for sure what I want to do with it. I could continue the story as another fic, I could say that with the exception of the Saiyans being alive, it continues the same way as in the show. It's up to you to decide. Again, I want to thank everyone who has read this monster project of mine, and tolerated my quirks and oddball sense of humor. For now, that's all she wrote on this fic. Time to slap the "completed" tag on this one and lay it to rest. I'll still be going through and remastering/editing the earlier chapters for you to make it more bearable, but until next time, I hope you have a good day, read on and keep that imagination open.**


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